GOVERNMENT DENIES SPENDING OVER 200,000 US DOLLARS ON PRO NDC JOURNALISTS

The Minister of Information, John Akologu Tia has denied allegations that the government has so far spent about 200,000 US dollars on Pro- government journalists to promote its agenda.

A former Research Officer of the Information Services Department of the Ministry of Information has in a statement alleged that the government spends state funds on pro-government journalists and media houses.

According to Mr Paul Kaleku, Ghanaians have a right to know what our politicians do with public funds put in their trust saying that these funds cannot be used for personal and partisan agendas adding that such corrupt practices must stop.

Giving a breakdown of the statement he named newspapers like the Daily Post which he says receives 20,000 dollars a month; The Informer -15,000 dollars a month; The Enquirer-30,000 dollars a month; The Catalyst-12,000 dollars a month;
The Insight-20,000 dollars a month plus 3 Isuzu Pick-ups from the Tema Port; The Daily Dispatch-15,000 dollars and The Ghanaian Lens-20,000 Dollars a month.

He also named some prominent journalists including Mr Raymond Archer who he claimed had cleared One Ford Explorer vehicle and 1 Jaguar X 5 from the Tema Harbour and allocated 18,000 dollars a month; Mr. Michael Dokosi-18,000 Dollars plus One Toyota Avensis saloon; Mr Kwesi Pratt-15,000 US Dollars a month plus free daily petrol coupons for 2 years till October 2012; Ben Ephson-15,000 US dollars paid monthly plus free daily petrol coupons for 2 years; Mr Kobby Fiagbe-15,000 US Dollars a month and Mr Kojo Twum Boafo-20,000 US Dollars a month.

However, Mr Tia says the allegation is baseless and that the man has no evidence to back his allegations and has challenged anyone who thinks he or she has any evidence.

The information Minister stressed that the media and critics should pay more attention to developmental issues rather focusing on irrelevant and unfounded statements.

End.