The Ashanti Regional Branch of the Ghana Journalists’ Association(GJA) is demanding the whereabouts of the GH¢40,000 allocated to journalists who covered the recently held congress of the National Democratic Congress(NDC) in Kumasi.
Reports indicate that the NDC allocated about GH¢40,000 to be distributed to journalists who covered the congress, but it has emerged that the money allegedly ended up in the pockets of an unknown party official.
[contextly_sidebar id=”gJvVA8sR9J0xzTM2zPtHDAGZ3kMj73BG”]Confusion has subsequently erupted among journalists in the Ashanti Region following this development.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on Tuesday, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the GJA , Listowell Yesu Bukarson, asked the party to account for every dime spent on the media.
“I want the NDC to find out if the allocation was made and who is responsible for the disbursement…” he demanded.
“If the money did not come to the media, the NDC is expected to come out and clear that…” adding that it is worrying for the public to be misinformed that GH¢40,000 was disbursed to the media.
He said the Ashanti Regional branch of the GJA is worried about the development primarily because the allocation of the controversial fund was perceived to have been done in the name of the Association.
“We are worried because that allocation is perceived to have been made in the name of the Ghana Journalist Association in the Ashanti region. It is not about receiving the money, it is about the corporate image of the GJA..some people, somewhere, somehow managed to steal money in the name of GJA, steal money in the name of one media house or the other…” he fumed.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Publicity Committee of the NDC Congress, Richard Quashigah has described reports that the GHC 40,000 was not meant for the purpose for which it was issued as unsubstantiated.
He said the money was used to publicize the event , saying, “we had to print posters and billboards.We even had to get stations like Radio Gold etc to come and cover because we requested their services and they brought us a budget.”
By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah