President John Dramani Mahama addressed the 30th Ghana Journalists Association Media Awards in Accra on Saturday, November 7, urging reporters to balance accountability with constructive journalism. He cautioned that excessive media zeal, especially when journalists publicly challenge ministers over alleged discrepancies, could distract the administration from its development goals.
Speaking as a former journalist himself, Mahama said, “We must also draw the line where journalism becomes adversarial. As a trained journalist myself, I believe that it pushes the limits of media zealotry when a journalist publicly challenges a minister to call into his show to expose him over a so‑called discrepancy that the journalist has discovered.” He added that the government would continue to respect the media’s watchdog role while warning that “it distracts attention from the people’s business when we split hairs in a deliberate search for scandals where none exist.”
The President’s remarks come amid scrutiny over the government’s GH¢49.7 million expenditure on evacuating 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa following renewed xenophobic attacks. Parliament’s minority has questioned the payment records for the GH¢5,000 reintegration grant and GH¢500 transport allowance per evacuee, calling for an independent audit and accountability from Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
Mahama’s comments highlight the tension between media scrutiny and governmental priorities, reminding journalists that holding officials accountable should not devolve into adversarial confrontation that undermines public service delivery.
