The fourth arm of government, the media fraternity will have the opportunity to drill the sitting president of the Republic today, Friday 14th December, 2019.
The media encounter with the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the seat of government, Jubilee House is to enable journalists in the country interrogate him on key national issues in all sectors of the economy for the year 2019.
This media encounter by the President will be his first media encounter for 2019, and fifth since assuming office on January 7, 2017 for a four year term.
Introducing the media encounter in 2017, His Excellency Nana Akufo-Addo promised to engage the Ghanaian people through the media twice a year.
Such encounter is not new to the media fraternity as far as the Presidency is concerned for previous Presidents starting in the era of former President John Agyekum Kufour down to former President John Dramani Mahama in their quest of availing themselves for questions regarding their governance.
As usual, the President is expected to address a gathering of selected journalists at the Jubilee House in Accra after which the floor will be opened for them to ask questions.
Alongside the President, the Vice President Dr Mahammudu Bawumia and some Ministers of State are expected to be at the event which will start from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Though the media encounter is lauded by some analysts and governance experts, its approach has been criticised over the years that, Media Foundation for West Africa described the last media encounter as the worst ever because of the limited chances given to 15 journalist out of about 70 invited media practitioners on the faithful day to ask questions.
The Foundation was worried the President took a chunk of the time to deliver a speech which it described as “a rehearsal for his State of the Nation Address.”
Meanwhile, Journalists who participated in the past event equally had their share of the criticism for their poor quality of questions at which Professor Ransford Gyampo in January last year said most of the questions asked were not good enough to pin the president.
In his view, the questions were “shallow and were not properly researched”, making it easier for the president to deal with them.
“I am sure that if the president goes to Makola [market], he will be able to receive thought-provoking questions on the issues that affect the lives of the people.”
Source: www.thenewindependentonline.com
