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MFWA slams Mahama for endorsing ‘Akyem sakawa boys’ comments

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has condemned the NDC flagbearer John Dramani Mahama for endorsing ethnocentric comments made against Akyems by the Bolgatanga Central MP.

In a statement, MFWA explained that the statement tends to “provoke and incite reprisal attacks which can fuel political tensions” in the country.

Isaac Adongo in a Facebook post headlined “Agyapa Royalties Fraud Is The Last Straw: The Akyem Sakawa Boys and Grandpas must Go,” accused President Akufo-Addo of forming a family-and-friends business to capture the mineral resources of the state. The Facebook post was later shared by the NDC’s presidential candidate, John Dramani Mahama on August 31, 2020, evoking divergent sentiments among followers.

One this, the MFWA, responded: “John Mahama’s action of sharing the article on his Facebook page amounts to republication and an endorsement of the ethnocentric comments.’

It added:

“While we acknowledge that public discourse on both traditional and social media gets heated during electioneering periods, it is regrettable that often, such expressions are made with total disregard for the basic ethos of cultural and social values of public communication. With barely three months to the December 7 polls, political discourse in the media and public sphere has been characterized by the prevalence of indecent expressions.”

The statement then added:

“Political parties, their communicators, assigns and serial callers must also desist from engaging in a personal vendetta that satisfies their party ego and interests and make commitments to ensuring […..] the upcoming elections [are peaceful.”

Already the MFWA’s 2020 monitoring of language use on radio ahead of the 2020 polls have cited a total of 156 indecent expressions used by radio show hosts and influential political party officials.

These include insults, prejudice or bigotry, inflammatory expressions, hate speech, tribal slurs and stereotyping, provocative remarks, unsubstantiated allegations and gender-specific insults, among others.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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