Media and politics

Are politicians interested in solving our national problems or winning power? The role of the media

Politics in Ghana is increasingly becoming about who wins the elections.
While the ruling government is finding ways of sustaining their rule, the opposition is also deducing a way they can capture power, not mindful of the cost. Our leaders give less attention to the problems that need to be solved in the country and give more attention to the enjoyment of power. One can easily conclude that our leaders are no more interested in our education reforms, poor roads, poor transportation, poor sanitation and so forth. They will rather debate on issues of less importance to the development of Ghana than to debate about the major issues that needs to be curbed

With a little over a year to the 2020 general elections, the air waves are full of political partisan discussions on elections; focusing on what the deserve your vote and issues they know less to nothing about. Propaganda has become the new style of communication instead of stating facts. Politicians have become good at sugarcoating information to win the favour of the people. Their accomplishments have become a tool to discuss which party has done better than the other while it is their role to undertake development projects in the country according to the constitution.

Politicians are using the media to spread propaganda instead of discussing how to resolve national issues. The private media especially offers these politicians the platform to be heard, which is laudable because it follows the tenets of democracy. But you often find that opportunity being abused, leaving viewers, listeners and or readers to endure unsavory language among other quibbles inciting supporters with their spin.

News bulletins are almost always started with the political headlines as if that is what the country feeds off for survival. There are a lot of political shows and fora for discussions than there is education, health, sanitation, transportation, security and the like. Sometimes you wonder if these politicians and their hosts have spared thought about the future generation. Have they thought of the impact of today’s activities on tomorrows generation?
Journalists ought to be knowledgeable in their your area of specialization and general issues to shape discussions, but you find that journalists of today allot time to their guest to discuss issues that even they have less knowledge about. When they are supposed to be stating facts, a lot of them give their personal opinions about the particular topic which shouldn’t be the case. Journalist must and properly research on the topics they invite people to talk on and make their guest aware of any backslide

Politicians are not honest to themselves and the people. Some days after the violence recorded during the Ayawaso West Wagoon bye-election, opposition parties hit the street to demonstration in protest at alleged involvement of elements from a pro-NPP militia group drafted into the National Security. This exercise was aimed at opening government’s eye to the attacks by the vigilante group. Weeks later, reports of sporadic shooting was rife within the camp of the largest opposition party.  At least two persons sustained bullet wounds leading to the death of one in Ashanti region, where some national officers of the NDC had gathered to meet the party’s ranks in the region. It later emerged that the masterminds of this attack are a militia group affiliated to the party which left office not long ago. The aftermath of this incident was expected; this is when the denial and pretense cards are played.

This is obvious that even the opposition has armed hoodlums in their fold. How can we trust these politicians on both sides, when all they have demonstrated is that they only like it when the “matter sweets them”.
Why is the media only reporting on this issue instead of making the people aware of how these politicians are playing with their minds? Let’s questions their actions not give them the platform to “talk”