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The president of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) has suggested to the government’s judiciary that a special defamation court be instituted.
This, Professor Stephen Adei explained, will accelerate defamation cases against journalists in the country.
“I believe that the Judiciary should establish a special court of libel so that when someone is released he can resolve justice in a matter of fifteen days,” he said on Monday in the Super morning show.
The call comes from the attacks on journalists in the country.
The professor, during the discussion, condemned the attacks, however, he called on the journalists’ fraternity to deal with journalists who brutally attack people, as he explained that these attacks contribute greatly to the problem.
“Any attack on journalists is an attack on ourselves. Journalists are the spokesperson for the population and I believe that anything must be done to protect them.
“[But] I think there are some journalists who, either because they bribe them or because they hate someone, can viciously attack people.
“My solution to this is this: I don’t think we should go back to criminal defamation law … I think the journalist fraternity should find a way to deal with them,” he said.
However, the professor warned journalists not to align with political parties “for their own safety.”
“I think journalists should avoid aligning themselves politically because our politicians, unfortunately, are behind all macho men.
“And this idea of certain journalists that everything NPP says is correct and what NDC says is correct is what I think is causing the attacks.
“As a journalist, I think there will be some kind of persuasion, but blatant disregard for the facts shouldn’t be part of journalism,” he said.
