The Editor in –Chief of the New Crusading Guide Newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako has accused the President of the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) Mr. Affail Monney of exercising wrong discretion on his comment about the recent accident involving Presidential Press Corps.
He described the utterances as indiscreet and premature, adding that it has the potential of compromising the integrity of the investigations currently ongoing to establish circumstances leading to the accident that claimed the life of a Ghanaian Times reporter, Samuel Nuamah.
The GJA President has come under fierce attack and incurred the wrath of journalists across the country when he told Joy News that after a meeting between the Association and the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, it had been concluded that there was no wrongdoing in the hiring of a vehicle which crashed and killed the reporter.
The vehicle was carrying members of the Presidential Press Corps who were returning from Ho in the Volta Region where the president had attended a programme organised by the Evangelical Presbyterian (EP).
The journalists, some of whom sustained injuries various degrees of injuries complained about the recklessness of the driver.
The Ghana Television’s Napoleon Atokitoe said the vehicle had two close shaves before the accident.
But the GJA President told Joy News’ Manasseh Azure Awuni it came to light after the meeting that the vehicle hired for the journalists was in good condition.
According to him, this will not be the first time the presidency through the transport officer has done business with the car rental company, so there is no doubt due process was followed.
“The Chief of Staff assured that it was purely an accident and the state of the vehicle could not be blamed neither the driver,” he said.
In a response to whether he was satisfied with the Chief of Staff’s assertions even though his reporter (Affail Monney works at GBC), Ato Kittoe had said something to the contrary, Mr Monney said, “I am inclined to believe that he [Chief of Staff] was candid with what he said”.
However speaking on Joy FM News analysis show News File, Mr Kwaku Baako questioned why the GJA Boss was in a haste to put out such information.
“The GJA President whom I have respect for was premature and indiscreet with his comment, he could have declined commenting on the issue when he was approached by Manasseh, that would have been the right thing to do when investigations into the matter is still ongoing, he has goofed big time”.
By: Kasapafmonline.com/Ghana
