Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Odeneho Kwaku Appiah, popularly known as Asanteman COKA, has pledged to protect press freedom and the safety of journalists in the region, warning that no individual or institution should be allowed to silence the media.
According to him, the media remains an important pillar of Ghana’s democracy and must be allowed to operate without intimidation or undue interference.
“No one can shut anyone up. Be bold to ask the hard questions without fear or favour. Put us the politicians on our toes. Demand answers for unanswered projects. You should also try to be professional. We need to partner to see how we can protect the freedoms enshrined in chapter 12 of the 1992 constitution,” Odeneho told journalists at a media soirée he organised in Kumasi following his election as the NPP’s Ashanti Regional Chairman.
He assured journalists in the region that his administration would stand with them whenever their rights and professional freedoms were threatened.
“Anyone arrested unjustifiably will see a massive solidarity. Ashanti region NPP will stand with you. We will demand that your rights are protected” he said, signalling his readiness to mobilise support for journalists who may face what he considers unjustified arrests or attempts to suppress their work
Asanteman COKA, however, matched his commitment to press freedom with a call for responsibility and professionalism in journalism. He admonished media practitioners to uphold the ethics of the profession and exercise their freedom responsibly in the discharge of their duties.
The soirée brought together a broad representation of media practitioners from across the Ashanti Region together with the newly elected NPP Ashanti regional executives.
Odeneho Kwaku Appiah’s relationship with the media in the region is not new. In 2023, the kumasi branch of Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) honoured him for his contribution to journalism and described him as a trusted friend and partner of journalists and media houses.
His comments come shortly after he secured a decisive victory in the NPP’s Ashanti Regional executive elections, taking over the chairmanship from Mr. Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.
He polled 658 votes representing 71% to defeat his sole contender, former Bantama MP, and former Environmental Protection Agency boss, Dr Henry Kwabena Kokofu.
