The September edition of the Media Foundation for West Africa’s (MFWA) monitoring of indecent campaign language on radio in Ghana reveals that political analysis and current affairs programs on stations aligned with the two main political parties – the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) – are the worst offenders when it comes to the use of abusive language. With less than 50 days to the 2024 general elections, the report underscores a worrying rise in indecent rhetoric on radio, which remains the most accessible source of information in the country.
Power FM tops the list of offending stations, with 51 incidents of indecent language, followed closely by Oman FM with 48, Wontumi Radio with 10, Accra FM with 9, and Haske FM with 6. Much of the inappropriate language is tied to discussions around elections, political party activities, and illegal mining.
Notably, two of the worst offenders – Mugabe Maase and Oheneba Boamah Bennie – are hosts on the same Accra-based station, Power FM. Mugabe Maase, host of Inside Politics, was responsible for 24 of the 164 recorded indecent expressions, while Oheneba Boamah Bennie, host of Battle Ground, followed closely with 22 violations.
Other notable offenders include Ernest Owusu Bempah, Deputy Communications Director of the NPP with 16 violations and Nana Bobie Ansah, host of The Citizen Show on Accra FM, who was also responsible for nine incidents. Gospel music artiste Nicholas Omane Acheampong who has recently been a regular panelist on Oman FM also recorded nine violations. The Bono Regional NPP chairman, Kwame Baffoe, better known as Abronye DC accounted for seven violations.
The report stresses that show hosts, who are entrusted with guiding public discussions, are the primary contributors to indecent speech. Rather than setting a professional tone, some hosts are exacerbating the spread of harmful rhetoric. This raises serious concerns about the role of moderators and show hosts in fostering responsible and respectful discourse, especially as the country approaches the December 2024 general elections.
The MFWA recommends that regulatory bodies strengthen their mechanisms to promote media professionalism. Station managers and owners are urged to establish clear guidelines for hosts and ensure that decorum is maintained during discussions. Radio stations must uphold standards of professionalism and ensure respectful discourse, while political leaders are encouraged to promote issue-based discussions in the lead-up to the elections.
Here’s the full report.
For media inquiries, contact:
Daniel Kwame Ampofo Adjei
0243767263
