Accra, (Greater Accra) 17 Oct., The Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Isaac Kobina Abban, today charged members of the reconstituted National Media Commission to ensure that the highest journalistic standards are maintained. He reminded the members that though the commission cannot stop the increasing number of newspapers and tabloids from operating, ”you have a constitutional duty to ensure that the highest journalistic standards are maintained”. The Chief Justice was swearing into office 15 out of the 18 members of the Commission at the Supreme Court in Accra. They included Mrs. Rebecca Adotey and Mr. George Quaynor-Mettle, Presidential nominees, Mr. A.S.K. Bagbin, Mr. E.K.D Adjaho and Papa Owusu-Ankomah, parliamentary nominees. Others are Mr. Paul Osei Mensah, Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Odeefour Boadi Asiedu the second, Ghana Library Board/Association of Writers, Mr. Nutifafa Kuenyehia, Ghana Bar Association (GBA) and Professor C.E.K. Kumado, Catholic Secretariat, Christian Council of Ghana/Pentecostal Council. The rest are Mr. Ahmed Quainoo, Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission/Ghana Muslim Council, Mr. Kwesi Adu-Amankwah, Trades Union Congress (TUC), Mr. Tim Acquah-Hayford, Advertisers/PR, Mr. Cyril Acolatse, Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Ms Dinah Dadzie, National Council on Women and Development (NCWD) and Mr. Dan Ansah, Private Newspaper Publishers Association of Ghana (Prinpag). Three members, Mr. Kwaw Ansah, representing private broadcasters, Mr. David Newton, Ghana Institute of Journalism and Ms Audrey Gadzekpo, Ghana Journalists Association were absent. The Commission is yet to elect its Chairman. Mr. Justice Abban reminded the Commission members that it is their duty to investigate complaints from people who have been attacked in the newspapers, and ensure that their rejoinders are published. This is provided for in Article 162 (6). Briefly, if a newspaper attacks a person, the latter is entitled to reply and his reply should be published so that the reading public would be in a position to judge who is speaking the truth, he said. The Chief justice said the provision was compulsory and the Commission or the High Court could enforce an order to publish a rejoinder. ”If the Commission actively performs this role, it will not be necessary for complainants to begin actions in the courts”.
