SLOTH JOURNALISM

 The investigations normally carried out by the press in Ghana, are privy to a lot of inside information. What is not surprising is how easy it is for political parties and influential persons to manipulate reporters by the use of leaks, exclusives, and off-the-record briefing. Many simply do not undertake to check and verify the facts their insider sources fed them; and once something false was published as fact, most reporters were extremely reluctant to go back and correct the record. 

In October, it was reported that  a group calling itself The CAPE MILITIA had emerged as the militant group posing as the official mouthpiece of mostly unemployed youth of the area who believe a large chunk of the oil proceeds should be used to develop first, the oil find area before the larger Ghanaian society.

In September 2009,the police in the upper East Region denied knowledge of any guerrilla training for some unemployed youth in the area by unidentified guerrilla lords.

In July, the Ghana Real Estates Developers Association (GREDA) may have withdrawn its petition to Parliament on the STX housing deal because its executives were threatened with death.

The Ghanaian Times in its Wednesday, 14th April, 2010 edition had a banner headline; “Warning: Drought ahead! Poor harvest predicted, Load shedding likely.” The paper attributed a looming drought situation in Ghana to Mr. Yorke, quoting him as saying, this year’s rainfall pattern would be comparable to that of 1987, the year the country experienced one of its worst rainfalls. Contrary to that in November, the Volta River Authority spilled the Akosombo Dam as the water level rose to the brim. The water level in the dam reached 277.4ft, which is the first to be recorded in 20 years.

January 2010 experienced another wave of ploy to cause fear and panic as 'Wild rumours started by Oman fm of an imminent earthquake in Ghana was sent to of thousands of panic stricken Ghanaians into the streets and the open where many spent the night. The panic was triggered on Sunday night, when rumour mongers, taking advantage of the Haiti situation, sent text messages round saying the country was about to experience a major earthquake'

There are many journalists in the country who, against all odds, are doing their best to deliver their mandate as a voice of the voiceless. The likes of Stan Dogbe, Raymond Archeer, Anas Amereyaw Anas, Roland Acqua Stevens and the folks at both TV3 and  Metro TV are changing the face of media practice in this country. But if practitioners continue to idolize corrupt but rich politicians and scorn their social responsibility, they will write their legacy on water. The Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) can continue to play the ostrich that all is well but they must know that confidence in the media is spiraling down.