According to Baba Jamal, National Security had a tip-off that the producer of the movie was operating a business, ‘Tiger Heart Production’ without proper registration and had invaded tax even though his earlier movie, entitled ‘Bodua’ sold over 12,000 copies, which earned him an amount of GH¢60,000.
‘Is it fair for some people to work and make so much money without paying tax, only for a few workers in the formal sector to pay tax from their insufficient incomes. The owner of the movie has even apologized for not registering his business. The seizure was not for his content as has been carried along in the media and being perceived in by the public.’
The deputy minister was speaking to journalists and other media practitioners operating in the Upper East region as part of his tour of the country to familiarize himself with the various media outlets in the region and also share government’s idea of branding every region in the country in line with the Branding Ghana Project. The Upper East region was his first port of call.
He noted that Ghana is still developing and journalists, who work with them should be agents of change and though they have every right to criticize the government and its appointees.
Hon. Jamal stressed the need for the media and journalists to come out with suggestions on how some of the things they criticize could be done well for the good of the public they represent.
Baba Jamal acknowledged the humility of President Mills, adding that most of the former government’s appointees have not been pursued by this government because the President is not vindictive and is bent on accomplishing his promises to Ghanaians.
He called on the media to help maintain the friendly relationship among political parties in Ghana, adding that in other countries, it is very difficult for opposing political parties to sit at the same table or room for peace talk, hence the difficulties in addressing violence after elections.
‘Here in Ghana, we are lucky that the party in government and those in opposition, can free sit and talk over issues of national interest and this is what I am pleading with the media to help maintain because if this trust and friendliness breaks down, the whole country will be in trouble and no one, including the media can stand it. Let us all be guided by what has happened in other countries.’
The Upper East Regional Minister, Mark Owen Woyongo, who is supporting positive discrimination in the distribution of national resources in favour of deprived regions and districts, called on the media to highlight investment opportunities in the Upper East region to attract investors to develop the region.
‘We have challenges and yet we have made some success as a region, people need to know. As the regional minister, I appreciate some of the criticisms by the media, but doing it to the detriment of the development of the region is what, we should check.’
The Upper East Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Eric Amoh noted that in as much as the media work is not lucrative, journalists and other practitioners become satisfied when the problems and issues they bring to the limelight are given the desired attention by government and appropriate institutions.
He called on his colleagues do the right thing in the face of difficulties before they come out with news.
From Ebo Bruce-Quansah, Bolgatanga
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