Accra: The Majority Chief Whip in Parliament, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has faced backlash for his criticism of the state-owned newspaper, Daily Graphic. He accused the publication of failing to highlight key government achievements on its front page, instead choosing to focus on the ongoing strike at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).
According to Ghana Web, broadcaster Nana Aba Anamoah responded to Dafeamekpor's comments, asserting that the Daily Graphic, despite being a state media outlet, should not be viewed as the government's public relations arm. Anamoah's remarks reflect a broader concern about the attempts by influential individuals to exert control over media narratives.
Dafeamekpor had expressed his dissatisfaction on his X page, arguing that significant national activities were overlooked by the newspaper. He cited the Vice President's visit to flood-prone areas in Accra and the evacuation of Ghanaian citizens in South Africa as events deserving front-page coverage. He criticized the newspaper for prioritizing the KATH strike over these government initiatives.
In his post, Dafeamekpor pointed out, "This is the front page of the Daily Graphic. A govt-sponsored newspaper that has for some strange reasons decided to gloss over major positive govt activities but instead focus on negative happenings." He continued to highlight the Vice President's recent engagements as major news items that were sidelined.
Dafeamekpor further criticized the Daily Graphic's editorial choices, suggesting that the focus on the KATH strike was journalistically undesirable. He emphasized that the strike was a disciplinary issue and that important government policy moves were relegated to footnotes.
Meanwhile, the strike action by doctors and nurses at KATH, which was initially in protest of the two-week suspension of the hospital's CEO, Dr. Paa Kwesi Baidoo, has been called off. The suspension followed the hospital's decision to temporarily halt new emergency admissions due to severe overcrowding, a move that significantly disrupted services and left many patients stranded.