Some Ghanaians have on Thursday expressed disappointment at the performance of some of the Journalists who participated in the Presidential Media Encounter at the Flagstaff House in Accra.
“A Presidential Media Encounter is a topmost opportunity for journalists to scrutinize the President on behalf of the citizenry on relevant national issues, but the opportunity slipped by as most of the questions asked were inept,†Prince Nii Abbey a Human Resources Generalist said in an interview.
“As ordinary citizens, we reposed our confidence in the media to ask thought-provoking questions only to be disappointed with their immature comments, commentaries and praise-singing questions,†he said.
Mr Abbey, who works with a Microfinance Company in Accra said based on his assessment, 60 percent of the questions asked by the journalists who had the opportunity to participate were not deep enough.
He, however, commended few journalists who stood up to the occasion and probed the government’s performance over the past one year.
Mr Francis Adzoror, a worker at the National Health Insurance Scheme also said that professional journalists in media houses should be carefully chosen to attend such events.
“The likes of Kwesi Pratt and Bernard Avle of Citi FM at least gave us hopes that we still have some journalists to trust in setting the agenda,†he said.
Mr Kwame Osei, an electrical engineer said efforts of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to meet the press was a total futility based on the performance of a majority of journalists who exhibited their incompetence.
Most of the Journalists he said linked heavily on how to build a relationship with the government than asking the underpinning questions.
Mrs Albertina Eshun an entrepreneur said the media was doing the State more harm than good as currently, most media houses had turned to propagate political party’s agenda instead of pursuing national interest.
She, therefore, called on Journalists to change their attitudes towards building a better positive and united country and stand-up as the fourth estate of the realm.
Mr Godfred Awadzi, a worker at Ghana Publishing Corporation said that certain questions from some prominent journalists were very relevant.
However, he also acknowledged that most questions from other Journalists were not relevant, adding that the questions lacked merit, failed to focus on developmental issues and scrutinize the Presidents’ administration.
He encouraged all Journalists to research thoroughly next time and come out with relevant questions that can draw out and help the government to stay on course for national transformation.