Ghana: Little By Little The Media Will Adapt- Kufour

Former President J.A. Kufuor has explained that even though people are abusing current air of freedom, a time will come when they will adapt themselves to the situation. Making the point that the country’s democracy has not yet matured from an insulated society the former president was certain that “we are gradually on the way there.

”Mr. Kufour said this at a forum in Accra organized by Media Foundation for West Africa on Tuesday to mark nine years of repealing the criminal libel law.

The porogramme, themed ‘government – media relation in a developing democracy,’ was to enable the former President to give stewardship to the media under his administration. Mr. Kufour said he never believed in absolute freedom, urging that some sort of responsibility must go with the media freedom the country was currently enjoying. He said even though he was against the use of state power to suppress media freedom, people must also take the pain to cross check their facts before making them public.

Mr. Kufour advised the National Media Commission (MNC) to stand firm and deal with media houses that publish lies about people. “I have no regrets for repealing the criminal libel law,” former President Agyekum Kufour said.

Repealing the law he said gave birth to over 100 FM stations and other print media houses, thus making the Ghanaian media one of the most vibrant to reckon with on the continent. “Ghana has become the beacon of hope for the rest of the world, that is why we need to nurture our teething democracy through good governance and exemplary leadership,” he added.

- August 11, 2010 by peacefmonline.com

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Source: news.peacefmonline.com/social/201008/68996.php (accessed on 11.08.2010)