No one eats football - a rejoinder by Hon. Kojo Yankah

I can't help but share my opinion to buttress the stance by the founder and president of my Alma-mata, Hon. Kojo Yankah, a former Minister of Information and Central Regional Minister in the Rawlings-led NDC administration and a PR guru in the Daily Graphic of Thursday, September 18, pg 20, on the attack of the Gyan brothers on a journalist a few weeks ago.

When the issue went viral on the social media, I spoke my mind, but people won't reason with me. The issues I raised have been reiterated by Hon. Yankah in a rejoinder to an article published by Mr. Boadu-Ayeboafoh, an editor of the Daily Graphic. Of the issues raised by Hon. Yankah, the two that caught my attention were:

1.  "the fundamental point I am making here is that Kenu's question was not relevant to the subject
      of   the press conference, irrespective or whether or not it had been raised in the streets of Kumasi
      or Accra"

2.  "the code of ethics of the profession is clear on how to treat matters of the nature affecting
      Asamoah Gyan". "Article 16 of the GJA Code of Ethics explicitly states: "In case of personal
      grief or distress, journalists should exercise tact and diplomacy in seeking information and
      publishing".

A cross section of the public have yelled at the Gyan brothers that they should have used the opportunity and platform to tell the good people of Ghana exactly what happened that day in order to put all agitations and speculations to rest. But come to think of it, was the press soiree organized to deliberate on the upcoming football match between Ghana and Uganda or to explain or tell Ghanaians what caused the disappearance of ace musician Castro? In the first place, I totally agree with Hon. Kojo Yankah that the supposed "professional"act of journalist, Daniel Kenu was absolutely irrelevant and inappropriate on that platform as far as the psychological state of the Gyan brothers in respect of the disappearance was concerned.  Being the captain of the team, answering that question would have traumatized him the more.

Furthermore, as indicated by Hon. Kojo Yankah, in line with the GJA Code of Ethics, I pray the matter be thrown own of court because Daniel Kenu wasn't guided by Article 16 in asking his "Professional" question. Else, he would have realised that the Gyan brothers were in grief and distressed over the disappearance of their friend. What else could be more tormenting than going out on holiday with a bosom friend and that friend disappearing into thin air without any clue as to the whereabouts of the person. The guilt of being the cause alone is a sure recipe for committing suicide. If Daniel Kenu had put himself in Gyan's shoes, I don't think he would have even thought of asking such question on a platform of that nature.

Even though I condemn the physical attack on the journalist, I believe practitioners in this 4th arm of government should at all times be guided by their code of ethics to save them any unforeseen mishap.

I also take the opportunity to sincerely thank the Ghana Police Service for holding a press conference a few days ago, to brief Ghanaians on the outcome of investigations so far, and the way forward in handling the issue. To the good people of Ghana, I wish to categorically state that, the Gyan brothers owe no one any explanations as the Police Service have called for all inquiries to be channeled to it.


Shalom!