‘NDC Corrupting Airwaves’ 

The leadership of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has expressed worry over how the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) as part of their crude and diabolic strategies to achieve the agenda 50-50 projects are buying airtime on some radio stations in the Eastern Region to tarnish the image of the flagbearer of the NPP, Nana Addo Dankwah Akuffo-Addo, in his hometown region.

Addressing a press conference with party executives on Friday at Koforidua, Acting National Chairman of the NPP, Freddie Blay, described the move to spread falsehood against the NPP as unacceptable, unethical and an affront to the very regulations governing their operations.

The NDC, as gathered, are using their regular political talk show hosts in the persons of Bobie Ansah and Maase Mugabe on two radio stations – Eastern FM and Emark FM and their affiliate stations throughout the country – to launch attacks on the personality of Nana Akuffo-Addo, as part of its strategy to keep the vulnerable majority in the dark and spread falsehood and propaganda against the NPP and its flagbearer.

Freddie Blay mentioned that the party is not against buying or selling air time to the political parties, “but to sell all the airtime of the major radio stations from morning to evening for the whole week and beyond the region with the sole aim of denying other parties, especially the NPP, an opportunity to let the public know the truth is not one to be condoned by the NPP or the public.”

The acting NPP national chairman pointed out that the canon of good journalistic practice demands fairness, objectivity, neutrality and honesty, hence the party expects the radio stations to be professional and work by nationalistic principles, rather than financial gains.

“We in the NPP will not let the NDC and Mr Mahama get away with it. The people must know, and with the help of the media and all other resources at our disposal, and with the goodwill and interest of the people we will do what it takes to let them know,” Mr Blay stated.

The acting chairman further added that the dumsor phenomenon caused by the NDC has affected the media programming and budgets, causing them grave losses. He, however, advised the media not to allow the situation to stop their radio stations from upholding professionalism and ethical principles.

FROM Daniel Bampoe, Koforidua