The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has condemned the violent attack on the studios of United Television (UTV) by a group of hooligans belonging to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The attack took place on the evening of October 7, 2023, while the station’s prime time entertainment show, ‘United Showbiz’, was ongoing. The hooligans stormed the studios, disrupted the live programme and proceeded to threaten to assault the host and her guests.
The NDC, in a press statement, described the attack as “a dastardly and senseless act” and said that it “sets Ghana’s democracy back and further erodes our fast dwindling press freedom fortunes as a country.”
The party also expressed its concern about the “level of intolerance of dissenting views in Ghana today under the tyrannical Akufo-Addo/Bawumia/NPP government” and condemned the ruling party’s “determination to institutionalise a culture of silence.”
The NDC called on the Ghana Journalists Association and other vanguards of free speech, civil society as well as traditional and moral society to speak out against the attack and to defend Ghana’s press freedom and democratic credentials.
The party also called on the Ghana Police Service to expeditiously investigate the incident and ensure that all the culprits are duly prosecuted in accordance with law.
The NDC’s condemnation of the attack on UTV is timely and necessary. The attack is a serious threat to Ghana’s democracy and press freedom. It is important for all Ghanaians to stand up against such acts of violence and intimidation.
The Ghana Police Service must also investigate the incident thoroughly and bring the perpetrators to justice. This will send a strong message that Ghana will not tolerate violence against the media and that press freedom is sacrosanct.
The press Release is below
PRESS STATEMENT For Immediate Release:8th October, 2023.
NDC CONDEMNS NPP’S VIOLENT ATTACK ON THE STUDIOS OF UTV
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has learned with utter disgust, a dastardly attack that was visited on the studios of United Television (UTV), last night.
While the station’s prime time entertainment show, ‘United Showbiz’ was ongoing, a group of uncivilized hooligans belonging to the ruling New Patriotic Party stormed the studios of UTV, disrupted the live programme and proceeded to threaten to assault the host and her guests.
It later emerged that these thugs were led by the Klottey Korle Youth Organizer of the New Patriotic, under the orders of Ernest Owusu Bempah, a Deputy Director of Communications and other leading figures of the ruling party.
The NDC condemns this shameful act in no uncertain terms, as there can be no place for such uncivilised and beastly conduct in a democracy.
Yesterday’s event sets Ghana’s democracy back and further erodes our fast dwindling press freedom fortunes as a country.
We in the NDC are deeply worried about the level of intolerance of dissenting views in Ghana today under the tyrannical Akufo-Addo/Bawumia/NPP government. We completely condemn the extent to which the ruling NPP is determined to go to institutionalise a culture of silence.
The senseless attack we witnessed yesterday was clearly goaded by recent antagonistic posturing of high-ups in government and the NPP towards UTV and its flagship ‘United Showbiz’ programme.
It is instructive that this attack on UTV was preceded by a letter from the New Patriotic Party’s National Secretariat a few days ago, which sought to brazenly impose an editorial policy on the station. This was followed by threats by leading figures of the NPP to ensure the illegal closure of the station.
Indeed, some of the NPP hooligans have been captured on video saying that they attacked the studios of UTV to defend and protect the President, the Vice President, Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia and the NPP from legitimate criticism by some members of the panel.
Yesterday’s event adds to the litany of attacks that goons associated with the NPP have visited on people performing their lawful duties, including a pregnant judge sitting in open court in Kumasi some time back.
The latest incident is yet another clearest evidence of how intolerant, violent and tyrannical this Akufo-Addo/Bawumia NPP government has become.
We call on the Ghana Journalists Association and other vanguards of free speech, civil society as well as traditional and moral society to speak out before it is too late.
Our press freedom and democratic credentials are under serious attack, and to remain silent in these times is to encourage the triumph of evil.
We further call on the Ghana Police Service to expeditiously investigate this incident and ensure that all the culprits are duly prosecuted in accordance with law.
The NDC shall be monitoring every development on this important matter and will not accept anything short of justice.
SIGNED.
Sammy Gyamfi ESQ.
(National Communication Officer)