 President
John Atta Mills’ final journey to eternity which entered its second day
on Thursday was nearly marred when members of the Ghana Journalist
Association (GJA) exchanged words with the state protocol...
...after
they were prevented from entering the banquet hall of the state house
in their quest to file pass the mortal remains of the departed
president.
The confrontation made the State Protocol lock the
back entrance that led to the State House, leaving some media
practitioners behind the gate for almost 40 minutes.
After the
exchange of words, the Deputy Minister of Interior, Mr. Kobby
Acheampong, who many have described in both the print and electronic
media as being media friendly, ordered the GJA delegation to stop at the
security check point since no special arrangement had been made for
them.
This attitude by the Minister and the security officials
provoked the members of the GJA forcing some notable members like Egbert
Fabille, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, Ebo Quansah amongst others to retreat
to their various work places.
In spite of the usual bragging
that the media are the fourth state of the realm, their constitutional
obligations were obviously ignored yesterday.
Most of the highly
recognized media personnel were refused entry and mishandled by the
state protocol whiles other organizations and institutions were humbly
ushered in.
The Editor of the Ghanaian Observer, Egbert Fabille,
who went to plead with the security officials to allow some of his
colleagues to enter the Banquet hall to file pass the late president,
was ordered to shut up by a military officer since the media were not
programmed on the protocol list.
This happened in the full glare
of the likes of Ken Ashigbe, Managing Director of the Graphic
Communications Group, Sammy Atta Mensah, Director of Citi FM, Fortune
Alimi, Daily Guide, Isreal Laryea, Joy FM among other high level
personalities.
All these people were prevented from entering the
banquet hall to pay their last respect. However, some determined media
persons like Fortune Alimi, Kwami Sefa Kayi and a few others managed to
go through the hectic queue to pay their last respects to the late
president amidst manhandlement from the security. |
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