Ghanaian Filmmaker Samuel Whyte Agyapong has called on the media to create more awareness on safety on Ghanaian roads and reduce the attention they pay to less important subjects.
The increase of road accidents become a major issue of discussion in the media circles after Ghana recorded 771 deaths from January to March 2021.
He likened such ‘attention’ to the coverage and reportage of the recent trial of Ghanaian Actress Rosemond Brown also known as ‘Akuapem Poloo’.
Mr Agyapong, who made the call in an interview, said the media must help to place more emphasis on matters of importance like road accidents to change society.
He said the media were shifting from their true calling as the fourth arm of government, adding: “We live in a country where street lights are not functioning in major parts of the capital, which eventually leads to accidents.
“We live in a country where the livelihood of Ghanaian filmmakers are at stake, and our big media houses are rather interested in ‘hype’ and ‘eyeballs’ on their platform? I admired the support and attention the television and radio stations gave my sister Rosemond, so, what stops them from doing the same for other matters like the indefinite closure of cinemas, road accidents and others?”
While reiterating the need to give road accidents significant attention, Mr Agyapong said it was beginning to feel like the citizenry were gradually losing their sense of patriotism over monetary gains in the media landscape in Ghana and encouraged them to redevelop it.
Mr Agyapong has been actively involved in a never-ending campaign against road accidents in Ghana with a viral video of him navigating traffic on social media.
