NPP National Delegates Conference: Pan African TV was denied accreditation

Pan African TV, a leading television station in Ghana with the vision to spearhead discussions about Africa was on Saturday, July 16 denied accreditation to the National Delegates Conference of the ruling New Patriotic  Party, (NPP) held at the Accra Sport Stadium.

Managing Editor of the Insight NewsPaper and host of the station’s flagship programme, Wednesday Palava, Mr Kwesi Pratt Jnr said the  team designated to report live the conference were turned back by the Deputy Communication Director of the party.

He added, he also told them that he has a job to do and he knows the media houses that can do the job for him, Pan African TV, obviously not one of them.

Mr Pratt Jnr, made the revelation on Alhaji and Alhaji on Saturday, monitored by GhanaPlus.com

“I walk into the studio this morning and I was told that the Pan African Television team who was to cover the NPP delegate conference has not given accreditation. I was wondering why and those who got in touch with the NPP communication team actually recorded the conversation so I asked to listen to the conversation and I was shocked”.

“The Deputy Communication Director of the NPP actually told the Pan African TV team that he has a job to do and he knows the media which can do that  job for him. Then he advice them to go back to the office, drink koko and watch the proceeding on other networks”.

Speaking about the development, the renowned media practitioner described it as disgusting and called on all well meaning Ghanaians to condemn the development.

According to him, denying media houses access is a major affront to media freedom.

“This is so very shocking. Giving the claims that the New Patriotic Party has made about media freedom and so on. This is very smoking. Attack on press freedom includes denial of access. Denial of access is a major attack on press freedom and I feel scandalized by this development,” Mr Pratt said.  

“In any case, the claims by the Deputy Director of Communication that they are looking for media that will do their work what is that work ? that they are doing? And what kind of media can do their work and what kind of media can’t do their work?. So clearly issues of credibility of reporting come up. Because if you are only selecting media houses which can only do their bidding, what then is the credibility of the report we are going to get today and tomorrow or so on.

” I am disgusted by this development and it is important for all right thinking persons to condemn this development,” Mr Pratt Jnr said.

NPP holds National Delegates Conference

The New Patriotic Party(NPP) on Saturday, July 16 held its National Delegates Conference at the  Accra Sport Stadium in the capital city.

The event saw more than 7,000 delegates of the party from branches of the party across the country and beyond  gathered to elect national executives to steer the affairs of the party for the next four years.

Source: GhanaPlus.com