‘Media houses must not become tools for hate messages’

Rev Dr Ayete-NyampongThe Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, Reverend Dr Samuel Ayete-Nyampong, has deplored the current situation where some media houses have become tools for the instigation and propagation of hatred and animosity.

He said the situation was not a good sign for a country that was waiting for the verdict of a court on the 2012 Presidential Election petition.

Rev. Dr Ayete-Nyampong has, therefore, appealed to the media to promote peace in the country.

“It looks like anybody at all who is aggrieved can be given the opportunity in the media to insult and disgrace his opponents”, he said.

Addressing an international women conference at Akropong in the Eastern Region, Rev. Ayete-Nyampong called on Ghanaians to learn from the experiences of Rwanda and other war-torn countries.

The four-day conference had the theme: “Empowering Women in Religion for effective use of God-given resources”, and was organised by the Presbyterian Interfaith Research and Resource Centre.

Rev. Dr Ayete-Nyampong, therefore, advised the media to maintain a high level of professionalism and ethics.

“Be circumspect in your reportage. Do not be selfish in rushing for sensational stories, which have no truth but rather have the tendency to divide the people and insult their conscience, to sell your paper”.

He asked the media to let the interest of Ghana and the good of the nation to be their responsibility and priority.

Rev. Dr Ayete-Nyampong appealed to women in the media to herald the campaign on professional ethics in the media to promote peace.

By Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah/Daily Graphic/Ghana