MP for Tamale Central Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed has said that some media men are ‘fantastically corrupt’ and that they have been bought by politicians. He was worried that most media have failed to disengage themselves from their political connections in the discharge of duty.
Murtala Mohammed was speaking on Pan-African TV’s Good Morning Africa program with Kwame Owusu Danso when he made these remarks.
He said it is mind boggling to see media men with no known businesses living large with houses in expensive areas and driving in luxurious vehicle and yet their sources of income are not questioned.
Some journalists are fantastically corrupt. Meanwhile, politicians who have other businesses are rather, always questioned and accused of spending taxpayer’s money.
Hon. Murtala recounted an experience when a journalist called him with the intent to blackmail him when he became MP and appointed deputy minister for information in 2013.
Media men he insinuated are divided into two groups; the goro boys journalists and the beyond the goro boys journalists.
The goro boys, he said are the ones who depend on soli, whiles those within the ‘beyond the goro boys’ group are taken to Peduase Lodge every Friday and paid by political appointees.
These ones he said are paid “to re-echo what is satisfactory to the political appointees and authorities.” A phenomenon which has led to seeing and hearing very few MPs in the media always.
The Tamale Central MP revealed that some MPs at the committee level and even on the floor of the house have demonstrated outstanding levels of intellect in terms of their contributions but those statements are never heard or seen on any TV or radio.
“So the people he represents will tell you that they have never heard him speak. Meanwhile every single day their contributions on the floor is the most outstanding contribution for the purposes of progressing this nation because that politician has no friend who is a journalist or he does not dole out tips for reporters.” He said.