JOY NEWS of the Multimedia group has expressed regret for the impression created by its documentary ‘Militia in the heart of the City’ which generated controversy in Ghana recently.
The documentary produced by Journalist Manasseh Azuri and aired on Joy news in March alleged that a militia had been uncovered training and operating at a security zone in Accra and which had links to President Akufo-Addo.
But the government in a sharp rebuttal described the investigative piece as misleading and faulted it for creating the unfortunate impression that President Akufo-Addo while calling for the disbandment of vigilante groups was secretly promoting such a group.
JOY NEWS in a strongly worded response initially rebuffed the government position and suggested its work was motivated by its constitutional responsibilities.
Government representatives have since been scarce on the station, expressing disquiet over the negative impression the documentary sought to create.
But it appears calm heads are gradually prevailing as the station has now moved to correct the negative impression created by its documentary. In a commentary piece ran through Editor Malik Abass Daabu in the morning of Monday 15th April 2019 on JOYFMs Super Morning Show, the station “expressed regret” for the impression created and apologised to the President for any inconvenience caused.
Quote
”I think it is appropriate at this juncture to talk about the misconstruction of the documentary which we put out detailing some untoward activity happening at the castle of some vigilante group engaged in some activity there, there were those who on the back of that documentary kind of thought that or created the impression that our documentary meant that the President, while he was condemning vigilantism, was also nurturing this group at his own backyard. Our documentary did not create any such impression and I think it is important to stress that point. All our documentary did was to report on what was happening… the only thing our documentary mentioned was that the person who was leading this group was a former bodyguard of the president when he was not President. He was an ordinary citizen, a candidate of a political party. Our documentary actually pointed out that this person had been sacked so the unfortunate impression created that the president was nursing these guys while at the same time condemning this was not on the basis of our documentary and it is important to make that any such impressions or inconvenience caused the president is regretted. ”
Government is yet to respond to the latest action by Joy news.
