Journalists as “peacemakers” or “peace breakers” during election time

By Caleigh McLelland (Projects Abroad)

Violence and corruption often plague elections throughout the African continent, so as Ghana prepares to vote in both parliamentary and presidential elections this December, all eyes will be on the West African country to ensure that peaceful and fair elections ensue.

Central Regional Minister, Ama Benyiwa Doe, stated that this year’s elections will be a very trying moment for Ghana and she advised that people act peacefully and responsibly.

“I want to take advantage of this forum to advise that the youth of Central Region think twice and not take advantage of their youthfulness and misuse that for any kind of activity that will not help us,” Minister Doe said.

She added that “competition should be fair, so that by the time we come out of elections, Central Region, and for that matter, this country, should turn up as a winner.”

Last year, fifteen African countries held elections, many of which saw widespread fraud and violence including Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo. And Minister Doe believes that what journalists say or write plays an important role in whether or not elections turn out peacefully.

“Countries have gotten into problems by just the spoken word of journalists,” she stated.

The reason for this is because political parties often get offended when they are criticised. But Minister Doe believes that criticism can be beneficial.

“Criticisms are good,” she said. “And as long as we have criticisms which are scientifically based and constructive, there should be no problems.”

Unlike many African countries, the media of Ghana is one of the most free. In fact, chapter 12 of the Constitution of Ghana guarantees freedom and independence of the media, and according to Freedom House, an international non-governmental organisation (NGO) that researches freedom around the world, Ghana was one out of only four other Sub-Saharan countries whose media was ranked as “free.”

As important as it is for citizens to act peacefully and responsibly during election time, it is just as imperative that what journalists say and write is accurate as their information is what people look to when making the decision of who to vote for.