GENERAL NEWS

Mike Oquaye doesn’t owe journalists an apology – Mensah-Bonsu

Both the Minority and Majority Leaders in Parliament have dismissed calls for the Speaker of Parliament Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye to apologise to journalists over his threat to revoke the accreditation of journalists.

The Speaker made the threats Wednesday after journalists abandoned the SONA debate to interview a minority MP.

The Speaker who was furious about the incident accused journalists in the parliament of abandoning the chamber during the debate to engage minority MPs who had abstained from the debate.

The Speaker has come under heavy criticism for his threats. But engaging the media on Thursday, the leadership of Parliament explained that the comments of the speaker were just friendly advice to the media to pay attention to happenings in the plenary.

Majority leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu who raised the matter on the floor to prompt the directive from the speaker for the media to stay away from covering other activities when sitting is in session explained the directive is not binding on journalists.

Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu assured that the NDC will not be a party to any attempt to stifle media freedom in the legislature. The Tamale South MP argued that the speaker does not intend to gag the media.

There have been demands for the speaker to retract his directive and apologize to the media and Ghanaians.

But both Haruna and Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu disagree. According to them, such a demand is a little too far.

“I want to believe that growing up whenever you did something that your father considered irresponsible and scolded you, you demanded an apology from your father. I am really flabbergasted by this attitude because I have taken pains to explain to you what really transpired.

“For you to tell him to apologise to you for telling you the rules of the game that we will subscribe to…for saying that we owe you an apology…respectfully I don’t owe you an apology,” Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu told Starr FM’s Parliamentary correspondent Ibrahim Alhassan.

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. In addition to his media ventures, Solomon serves as a Brand Ambassador for Alabuga, a prominent Russian industrial company, representing their interests and expansion across Africa. 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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