The Media is failing in its Role in National Development

The media as the fourth realm of government has an important role to play in the national development of any country; and especially, the national development of a developing country such as Ghana. It is therefore sad to find the media drowned or concerned or prioritising news items and discussion topics that draw the attention of the ordinary Ghanaian from matters and issues affecting national development. In fact, it is not only sad but extremely shameful and pathetic. One may argue that the media, particularly the privately owned media, are more concerned about making money so therefore, whatever that sells i.e. whatever will get everyone to tune in and listen is what they will be concerned about or prioritise. But really and truly speaking, should that be the case? What happened to the moral obligation to ensure that the citizenry are informed? The media finds itself in a position where it is charged with a duty to encourage national development. I do give credit to some media houses for attempting to make an effort.

However, when things such as Wikileaks and other unnecessary matters dominate the topics for discussion all over the country for over one week or over seven days or over 168 hours or over 10,080 minutes (I hope you get the point), then there is cause to worry. And the worry is that the media is not living up to its role and moral obligation in national development. The worry is that the media is as guilty and corrupt as the politicians who seek their own interests as opposed to the interests of the citizenry who entrusted them with such positions. It is even more worrying when only a few days after the main opposition party’s leader gives his first speech outlining his policies and programmes the media decides “let’s not concern ourselves with what he has to offer Ghanaians. Instead, let’s discuss what America’s mission in Ghana is saying about Ghana and other unnecessary matters.” What the media is saying is “let’s divert attention from what will develop Ghana to what will cause deeper divisions in Ghana”.

Nana Addo’s speech at the first Liberty Lecture organised by the Danquah Institute should have been put on the table and dissected. Questions should have been asked. Analysis should have been done. What does Nana Addo mean by an “industrialized economy”? How is he going to achieve that? How can his programmes be implemented? How feasible will the implementation be? We should have questioned what Nana Addo said to the very core. He should not be allowed to give a fancy lecture and waltz his way into office. Those days and that kind of politics are way gone. We should not accept that it can be done simply because for about two hours Nana Addo said it could be done. What the media houses should have done and should do is to intellectually challenge each aspect of Nana Addo’s speech. Get the economists, trade experts, financial experts, entrepreneurs, tax experts, education experts, health experts and all the very brilliant and fancy experts there are in Ghana (and I know we have way too many) and critically analyse every aspect of Nana Addo’s speech and then discuss the analysis. That is what a media house with the national development of Ghana at heart would have done or should do instead of discussing the unnecessary such as Wikileaks.

My very good friend Gabby recently threw a nice and polite challenge to the brains in NPP. I in turn challenge all the Ghanaian brains to debate Nana Addo’s speech bearing in mind some of the questions posed above. Every year we churn out thousands of graduates from our universities and tertiary institutions. We believe they finally have what it takes to live in the society and contribute to building a modern society. So there is no question that there are brains out there which can analyse Nana Addo’s speech. “Where are the Ghanaian brains”? And I throw a further challenge to the media houses: encourage the debate of these issues. Personalities don’t develop a nation. It is sound policies and viable programmes that develop a nation. That is what Nana Addo is proposing. Analyse his proposal.

Before I end this short note, I would like to say I strongly believe Nana Addo is the man who can do the job i.e. return Ghana to the tracks of development. But the mere fact that I believe that he can does not necessarily mean that he can which is why it is necessary for the media to scrutinise his policies and programmes and put them to a strict test. He is proposing a modern society of opportunities for every Ghanaian. Great nations are built by principled men of vision, courage and conviction. Leaders with can-do spirit built Malaysia, South Korea and Singapore. We can do it too right here in Ghana. Nana believes Ghana cannot continue doing the same thing and expect BETTER results. I agree with him. We need to solve Africa’s problems with practical African solutions. For 35 years Nana Addo has been at the front fighting for the Ghanaian to be free and prosperous. Since the 1990s he has been saying the same thing: “we need to transform the economy”. We have sold raw materials for over 100 years and yet we are poorer than ever. Oil will certainly not make us rich if we carry on selling and exporting. We need to add value to our oil. That is what Nana wants to do and he believes in the competence and confidence of Ghanaians to do this. Ghanaians must give him the chance for him to lead us to do it. Let’s believe we can do it.

So what exactly did Nana say in that two hour period that I keep stressing we need to debate and have thought provoking discussions about. Nana Addo said he will focus on EDUCATION, SKILLS and JOBS. He said he will put Ghana back to work. EDUCATION means JOBS. SKILLS mean JOBS. The Youth need SKILLS and JOBS. It is therefore not rocket science that Nana Addo is the candidate with the interest of the Youth at heart. Adding value to our economy means more JOBS and decent JOBS means decent PAY. Nana Addo and the NPP will once again make credit available to Ghanaians and small businesses. Access to credit means JOBS. More contracts will go to Ghanaian companies to create JOBS for Ghanaians. INDUSTRIALISATION means JOBS. Ghana has the potential to become an African industrial centre. Modernising AGRICULTURE means JOBS. Nana Addo will create JOBS in this sector to solve rural poverty. He will grow a multi-billion dollar palm oil industry like Malaysia. Building more roads means JOBS. It is a fact that NPP almost doubled Ghana’s roads in 8 years. Keeping Ghanaians alive and healthy means JOBS. NPP will revive NHIS to serve all Ghanaians. Strengthening democracy means more investments for more JOBS. Nana Addo also proposed his “TEACHER FIRST” policy. This essentially means that the focus will be on the needs of the teacher to ensure free quality education for every child.

If it is not obvious already, a key word that ran through Nana Addo’s two hour speech was JOBS, JOBS and JOBS. At a time when unemployment is at its highest in the world and in Ghana, Nana Addo dangles the JOBS bone before the unemployed citizenry of Ghana and the media houses and the Ghanaian brains push it aside and discuss Wikileaks and personalities. It is rather shameful. There is a lot to discuss from Nana Addo’s speech and I hope the media will live up to its expectation in the national development of Ghana and critically analyse Nana Addo’s two hour speech delivered at the Liberty Lecture.

Written and Edited by:

Kow A. Essuman, Esq.

LL.B. Hons (Westminster), PgDip (BPP), LL.M. (Cornell)

Barrister-at-Law (Lincoln's Inn)

Attorney and Counselor-at-Law (New York)

All comments, corrections and contributions should be sent to kaessuman@yahoo.com.

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This post is based on the thoughts, observations and opinions of Kow A. Essuman, Esq. Any attempt to reproduce all or any part of this article without the express permission of the above named person shall be an infringement of intellectual property laws; following which the author reserves the right to commence an action/suit against any such person(s) or body for breach of copyright and/or any other action/suit the author sees fit.