Sir Sam Jonah, the executive chairman of Jonah Capital Equity Fund, has criticised and called “pathetic” the lack of accountability in protecting the public coffers.
Speaking on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at the opening of the Ghana Journalists Association’s (GJA) 75th anniversary celebrations in Accra, the vice chancellor of the University of Cape Coast denounced what he perceived as the infringement on press freedom and the weaponization of state agencies against opponents.
Sam Jonah challenged journalists in Ghana to take on important subjects that impact the nation’s political structure with bravery in order to actively protect democracy.
He underlined the vital role that media workers play in Ghana as defenders of truth and freedom, supporters of educated discourse, and strongholds of objectivity.
Let us once again pledge allegiance to the values that Ephraim Amu so eloquently preached in this moment of testing the foundations of our democracy and society. I beg you to be the guardians of objectivity, the creators of well-informed dialogue, and the unwavering champions of freedom and the truth. We should all be concerned about certain unsettling trends in our country’s debate in this regard.
“This is the time for patriots to find their voices, given the perceived weaponization of state agencies against opponents, the eroding press freedom, the perceived lack of faith in the administration of justice, and the pitiful lack of accountability in the safeguarding of public funds.” Now is the moment to show guts and fearlessness. Protecting the interests of the country is something we cannot and must not compromise on.
“The degree of press freedom will be a critical factor in determining the success of our endeavour to establish a democratic regime. Respected American journalist Walter Cronkite once said, “Freedom of the press is not just important to democracy, it is democracy!” In addition, the revered businessman from Ghana urged Ghanaian media to be impartial as the nation gets ready for the 2024 elections. As the upcoming elections get near, let your voices and pennies create a story of democracy, justice, and peace. Our national conscience is still scarred by the tragic SALL story, the slaughter of innocent voters at Techiman, and the historic electoral violence at Ayawaso.
“We all need to make the commitment that these tragic episodes in our more recent past won’t happen again. You should make an effort to be the link between conflicting groups of people in Ghana, making sure that everyone, regardless of political affiliation, can find comfort and support in the truth.
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