Gov’t cannot serve well if it hears only applause – Julius Debrah charges journalists to uphold scrutiny

Chief of Staff Dr. Julius Debrah has defended the role of journalism in holding government accountable, saying critical reporting is essential to identifying failures, assessing policies and improving governance.

He said public officials should not interpret scrutiny as hostility but should accept legitimate questions from journalists as part of their responsibilities.

“Government cannot serve well if it hears only applause,” Dr. Debrah said at the launch of the 30th Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Media Awards and the inauguration of the Awards Committee in Accra on Wednesday, October 7, 2026.

He added, “We may disagree with a headline or a conclusion, but disagreement is not hostility, and scrutiny is not disloyalty.”

Dr. Debrah said public officials must provide timely information, respond to legitimate questions and protect media freedom, while journalists must uphold professional standards in their work.

“Public officials must provide timely information, submit to legitimate questions and protect the freedom of the media. Journalists, for their part, must verify, offer a fair hearing, separate fact from opinion and correct errors when they occur,” he said.

He cautioned journalists against sacrificing accuracy and fairness in the rush to publish, warning that national peace and individual reputations should not be put at risk.
“In the race to be first, our national peace and a person’s hard-earned reputation must never become collateral damage,” he said.

Dr. Debrah praised the media for its contribution to Ghana’s democracy, particularly through exposing wrongdoing, highlighting neglected issues and giving citizens a voice.

He described the media as an essential pillar of accountability, noting that good governance requires public officials to be open to scrutiny.

The launch of the 30th GJA Media Awards marked another edition of the initiative to recognise excellence in journalism. Dr Julius Debrah urged the Awards Committee to uphold fairness, independence and clear standards in selecting award recipients.

He said the awards should celebrate journalism that is accurate, courageous, original, innovative and useful to the public.