“Be Watchdogs, Not Lapdogs”: Speaker Bagbin Rallies Journalists to Hold Power Accountable
The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has delivered a passionate charge to journalists across Ghana to step up as uncompromising guardians of public accountability and resist the temptation of cosying up to authority.
Addressing a distinguished gathering at the 30th Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Media Awards in Accra, Speaker Bagbin reminded media professionals of their foundational democratic duty.
Citing veteran journalist Amy Goodman, he emphasised that it is not the media’s job to align with authority, but rather to act as a vital counterweight to it.
He urged journalists to remain vigilant guardians of the public interest, stressing that power is a monster that must be properly managed, checked, and subjected to relentless public scrutiny.
Reflecting on the evolving role of the press, Speaker Bagbin commended Ghanaian journalists for exposing institutional malfeasance, human rights abuses, and environmental devastation, particularly through investigative reporting on illegal mining.
However, he warned that the digital age presents unprecedented threats to national stability. With smartphones turning every citizen into a potential broadcaster, he cautioned that social media anonymity and unverified commentary are increasingly weaponised to stoke ethnic tension and polarise communities.
He urged the Fourth Estate to serve as a trusted shield against misinformation, filtering out hatred to deliver distilled, verified facts to the public.
Addressing the broader relationship between the House and the press, Speaker Bagbin described the legislature and the media as perfect partners in the democratic enterprise. He encouraged journalists to look past partisan political squabbles and focus on unpacking the real substance of legislation and public policy.
Reassuring reporters of an open-door policy at Parliament, he declared that journalists should never approach the House with the trepidation of a visitor approaching an ancient monarch’s palace, but rather walk in with the confidence and pride of an heir apparent entering their own home.
Highlighting the economic and safety challenges facing press freedom, the Speaker condemned the poor working conditions, low remuneration, and security threats that many journalists continue to endure.
He argued that journalists cannot be expected to defend democracy while being denied the basic conditions necessary to practice with dignity and independence. To address these systemic gaps,
Speaker Bagbin reiterated Parliament’s readiness to collaborate with the GJA leadership on a Private Member’s Bill designed to improve working conditions and strengthen the professional environment for media practice nationwide.
He congratulated the award winners and nominees for their courage and integrity. Invoking the words of Pope Leo XIV, he urged media practitioners to act as a barrier against those who use deception to divide and rule, calling on all journalists to keep holding the torch of professional integrity high to safeguard Ghana’s democracy.
The landmark event brought together high-profile leaders, including President John Dramani Mahama, Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Ga Mantse King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, state ministers, and parliamentary leaders.
Source: Felix Nyaaba/ expressnewsghana.com
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