NPP cited for indecent expression in analysis of radio shows
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has cited officials, supporters and members of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) to have used the most indecent expression in July.
According to the MFWA monthly analysis NPP made a total of 17 indecent expressions out of 44 indecent expressions recorded for the period followed by officials, supporters and affiliates of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) who made a total of seven indecent expressions.
A total of 44 indecent expressions were recorded on a total of 1,474 radio programmes monitored on 60 radio stations across the country from July 1 – 31, 2016, MFWA report made available to the Ghana News Agency in Accra said.
The report said President John Dramani Mahama, who is also the Presidential Candidate of the ruling NDC, was the target of nine abusive comments while the NPP Presidential Candidate, Nana Addo Dankaw Akufo-Addo, was the object of five abusive expressions.
The report also said Mr Hopeson Adorye, a member of the NPP Communication Team, and Mr Listowell Nana Kusi Poku of the National Labour Party (NLP), topped the list of individuals who made indecent expressions during the month of July. Each of them made five indecent expressions.
The MFWA said Happy FM and Montie FM topped the pack of stations that recorded the use of abusive expressions on their platforms with seven incidents each out of the 44 incidents recorded; followed by Zaa Radio and Okay FM with four incidents each.
The Foundation said the abusive expressions were mostly recorded during the discussion of issues such as corruption, political party activities, and election-related issues.
The statistics indicates that 44 indecent expressions were made by political party officials, supporters and affiliates, radio programme hosts and presenters, and other individuals whose political or group affiliation could not be established on the programmes monitored.
Thirty-five out of the 44 indecent expressions recorded were made by political party officials, supporters and affiliates. Individuals whose political affiliation was unknown made the remaining nine.
The report noted that officials, supporters and affiliates of five political parties were cited for using abusive expressions. They were: NPP, NDC, Progressive People’s Party (PPP), People’s National Congress (PNC), and the National Democratic Party (NDP).
Also cited for the use of indecent expressions were affiliates of a group introduced as New Labour Party (NLP).
The NPP officials, supporters and affiliates dominated in the use of unsubstantiated allegations and provocative remarks, whiles affiliates of the NLP led in the use of insulting and offensive comments.
According to the report the indecent expressions recorded were targeted at the NPP and the NDC, their presidential candidates and other individuals with no clear political or group affiliation.
The NDC as a party, along with some named individuals in the party, were the object of nine abusive expressions, whiles the NPP, along with some officials and affiliates of the party, were the targets of four indecent expressions.
The Electoral Commission was also abused, the MFWA report stated. There were two indecent expressions against the Commission and its leadership. The remaining 15 indecent expressions were directed at some parliamentarians, academics, and other individuals.™™
The MFWA monthly language monitoring project is aimed at encouraging people to be measured in their use of language by naming and shaming those who use abusive expressions on radio. The project is titled: “Promoting Issues-based and Decent Language Campaigning for a Peaceful, Free and Fair Election in Ghana in 2016”. It also monitors how presenters on the target radio stations handle their programmes to ensure that indecent expressions are not tolerated on their programmes.
Each target station is assigned a trained monitor who is also equipped with a digital recorder to record the programmes monitored. The monitors send daily reports to the MFWA.
The reports are analysed by a team of staff and researchers at the MFWA with a consolidated report publicised every two weeks.
Source: GNA