Commentary

Ghana’s 65th Independence & Media’s Role In Democratic Journey

By: Dr. Nana Sifa Twum, Media & Communications Consultant

Ghana on 6th March 1922, marked her 65th independence Anniversary as a republic. The country has come this far, perhaps not the best of heights, by way of democracy, economy, and social development by riding on the wings of the media. The media undoubtedly has played a massive role in propelling the nation to where it is today. Like the media around the globe, the one in Ghana provides the much-needed public sphere for national discourse, growth and development. The media has been at the forefront of national development even before independence. History has it that, the first President of Ghana Dr Kwame Nkrumah, pursued the agenda of the colonial masters of using the media to shape and stir up the people to fight for the liberation of the country from colonialism. Colonial Governors before Ghana’s independence, had established newspapers. Among other things, the newspaper was also to provide information to the expatriate merchants and civil servants in the colonial era. It also provided education, motivating the populace in rural development activities, which gained root in respect of winning their loyalty. In the heat of the struggle, Dr Nkrumah took a bold step to establish the Accra Evening News, which was primarily used for the objectives of the struggle for independence with its focus on “self-government now”, unleashing intellectual attacks against colonial rule and demanding political rights for the people.

The post-independence era saw Dr Nkrumah establishing strong media institutions including the Ministry of Information, Ghana News Agency and the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, for use as a propaganda tool for national unity and development. He also established the Ghana Institute of Journalism in 1959 for the training of journalists in the country, the first of its kind on the African continent. He perceived the media as a tool for authority and power and therefore became very much interested in the use of these institutions including his personal Guinea Press Limited, which he established to propagate his agenda. The state-owned media in Ghana now is almost like what it was at the time of independence, the mouthpiece of all successive governments. This paved the way for the establishment of radio stations in the country with Joy FM being the first private radio station in July 1995. Since then, Ghana has had 340 radio stations, 128 Television Stations and 12 regular newspapers, depicting the vast improvement in the media landscape. Radio and Television stations since then have led the media onslaught against injustices, corruption, human rights, promoted education, motivated people, and disseminated information to the people.

The fourth Republic in particular has recorded a healthy relationship between the media and the executive, resulting in effective governance. The media in Ghana has contributed immensely to the fight against galamsey, corruption, injustice, poverty and ensuring free and fair elections as well as leading the national accountability agenda. By and large, the media in Ghana has performed its functions with distinction but obviously, there is more room for improvement. Citizens perceive the media as a bane in national development as it is alleged to have connived with the authorities to cover wrongdoing in society. The Ghanaian media are vibrant and act as the voice of the people, a partner of the executive and a friend to the citizens for a peaceful and prosperous nation. Although the media have played its role admirably, in the development of the nation, there is a need for introspection to correct the wrongs that it may have committed in the course of its work to avoid further mistakes going forward. May God bless our homeland Ghana.