Akufo-Addo’s gov’t will be adjudged one of the best – Adom-Otchere

Broadcaster Paul Adom-Otchere says the government of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will eventually be recognised as one of Ghana’s best administrations.

Speaking on Channel One TV’s Upside Down programme aired on Sunday evening, the host of Good Evening Ghana defended the record of the Akufo-Addo administration, particularly its social intervention programmes.

“After a while, people will see that Akufo-Addo’s regime will come up as one of the best. In fact he’s had the most dominant social intervention policy in the history of the country,” he stated.

Adom-Otchere acknowledged that mistakes were made during the administration but argued that governing a country as complex as Ghana naturally comes with challenges.

“Government is a big thing. Not many people will handle government without making mistakes. It will mean that they didn’t try anything,” he said during the discussion.

According to him, the structure of governance in Ghana places excessive authority in the hands of the president, making errors inevitable regardless of who occupies the office.

“There are many things; a president appoints 5000 people. You don’t know all them and I’ve been fighting against this thing that there is too much power in the president’s hands,” he explained.

“We are creating a problem for a president who will naturally make mistakes. So that is there,” he added.

During the same interview, Adom-Otchere also defended partisan journalism and dismissed the idea that journalists must remain politically neutral.

“Why should journalists be neutral?” he questioned.

“The journalist is like anyone else and a journalist is carrying the story every day. It is more likely that he will take sides because he sees the politicians every day,” he stated.

He argued that journalists often develop informed political opinions through years of covering public affairs and interacting with political figures.

“He sees that this politician is good, this politician is bad. He can tell, more than the general public so why mustn’t he take sides,” Adom-Otchere noted.

The veteran broadcaster further described neutral journalism as unrealistic and historically inaccurate.

“That situation is a scam actually,” he remarked, adding that partisan journalism played a significant role in Ghana’s independence struggle.

“If you look at the history of Ghana, it was journalism that takes sides that gave us independence.”