Minority Leader: Live Telecast of Petition Will Calm Down Tension

The Minority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu says though he agrees with critics who say the live telecast of the election petition between the NPP leaders and the Electoral Commission (EC) affects productivity, he however believes the live telecast will calm down tensions, particularly arising from the commentaries on the case.

He said in an interview with Radio Gold that the election case is worth the attention given it by the State Broadcaster.

Due to the weight the case carries, Hon. Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu stated that “it will be most unfair to allow individuals to saturate the air with their own judgements about the event of the court room whereas you shield the people from viewing it...if you are not careful, it may even fuel tension.”

According to him, it is better for the case to be shown live on national screens than see the country degenerate into misadventures; a reason why the live broadcast plays a significant role in the merit of the case.

“This is a very serious matter which is dear to the hearts of the entire nation and to the extent, people even leave the court room and make serious misrepresentations of proceedings in the court room, it’s important for us as a nation to be living witnesses to the events as they unfold in the court.”

He however admitted that the live broadcast affects Ghana’s yield but asked “which is a better way? That we have productivity affected somewhat, maybe the next one month, the next two months; say even three months and what if this whole thing had degenerated into civil strife which has or is going to last for about six months, one year and so on. Which is of a lesser commission?”

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana