• The Media Coalition for Reforms has in the last 24 hours written two statements
• The first was to call for a former GJA president to back down on his ‘coup’ attempts
• In this latest one, they congratulate the former president for doing a swift and honourable job
Some 24 hours after it called out a former president of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Kabral Blay-Amihere, for his attempts at staging a “coup” in the Association, the Media Coalition for Reforms has issued a congratulatory statement to the past president.
According to the statement, the group says it is elated to learn that Kabral has called off an intended meeting, describing the move as an act of “boldness and fortitude.”
The group also commended the other persons scheduled to attend the event for backing down, adding that their decision would “pave way for the elections as early as possible.”
In the earlier report, the Media Coalition for Reforms had called out Kabral for plotting to hijack the Association for himself.
Additionally, the group called on members of the Association to help it avert what it described as “Kabral’s coup attempt, which is scheduled for Wednesday, June 16 2021 at the Ghana International Press Centre (GIPC) at 2pm.”
They said it was a calculated attempt by the former head of the GJA, even in the wake of delayed elections for the vacant slot of the presidency of the GJA.
“The Coalition has been monitoring recent developments within the GJA, particularly with respect to the delayed election of national and regional executive officers for the association. We were not surprised with the court action against the illegality of the Affail Monney executive committee, whose tenure had long elapsed as far back as November last year. Yet they continued to hold themselves out as executives of the GJA, and to conduct elections.
“The court action by Caroline Boateng of the Graphic Communications Group Limited, sought to declare Affail Monney’s team of executives illegal, and with it the processes towards the delayed elections. That was where Kabral, who has been appointed by the President, to chair the Board of GRIDCO, appears to have found an avenue for his agenda. He immediately started maneuvers towards setting up an Interim Management Committee (IMC) with him as the chairperson,” the statement signed under the name, Samuel Ablordepey, as Convener, said.
But in this latest statement, the Media Coalition for Reforms has highly commended the team for heeding to their call.
“Following our press statement, our information is that Ambassador Kabral has called off that intended meeting. The Coalition will want to applaud Ambassador Kabral for his boldness and fortitude in cancelling the scheduled meeting. We are struck by the rare show of leadership and the strong emotional intelligence exhibited by Ambassador Kabral in this regard and will want to commend him for that. If all leaders in Ghana will listen to those they lead and take decisions, however difficult, in the best interest of those the lead, this country will be a better place for all of us.
“We will also want to commend the other attendees for reviewing the intended meeting and agreeing to hold off to give the feuding parties a chance at resolving the issues, and to pave way for the elections as early as possible. Whilst at it, we will want to encourage them to take advantage of this new lease of life to hasten up the process and ensure that the elections are held with no further delay. A caution ought to be made that the membership of the GJA has no appetite, and indeed no patience for any further delay in conducting the elections. A word to the wise …
The Coalition expresses its appreciation to the numerous members of the GJA who have reached out to it since the issuance of the press release and who want to join the Coalition. We are flattered by the interest you have expressed. However, we will want to make it clear that our intention for now is not to form a rival journalists association. Together, we are convinced that we can help the GJA to be the association that we all wish it to be,” the statement said.
Read the full statement below:
Congratulations Ambassador Kabral Blay-Amihere
The Media Coalition for Reforms wishes to refer to its press statement on Monday, June 14 2021 in which it demanded a halt to a scheduled meeting of the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) called by Ambassador Kabral Blay Amihere. We expressed misgivings about the purpose of the meeting, given that it was in contradiction of the directives of the court to the feuding parties. The pleadings of the plaintiff included the declaration of the Affail Monney-led executive as illegal, given that their tenure elapsed in November 2020; yet they continue to remain in office. The directive was for the parties to the suit resort to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in ironing out their differences.
Following our press statement, our information is that Ambassador Kabral has called off that intended meeting. The Coalition will want to applaud Ambassador Kabral for his boldness and fortitude in cancelling the scheduled meeting. We are struck by the rare show of leadership and the strong emotional intelligence exhibited by Ambassador Kabral in this regard and will want to commend him for that. If all leaders in Ghana will listen to those they lead and take decisions, however difficult, in the best interest of those the lead, this country will be a better place for all of us.
We will also want to commend the other attendees for reviewing the intended meeting and agreeing to hold off to give the feuding parties a chance at resolving the issues, and to pave way for the elections as early as possible. Whilst at it, we will want to encourage them to take advantage of this new lease of life to hasten up the process and ensure that the elections are held with no further delay. A caution ought to be made that the membership of the GJA has no appetite, and indeed no patience for any further delay in conducting the elections. A word to the wise …
The Coalition expresses its appreciation to the numerous members of the GJA who have reached out to it since the issuance of the press release and who want to join the Coalition. We are flattered by the interest you have expressed. However, we will want to make it clear that our intention for now is not to form a rival journalists association. Together, we are convinced that we can help the GJA to be the association that we all wish it to be.
Once again, congratulations to Ambassador Kabral Blay-Amihere for your leadership and interest in the welfare of the GJA. We hope others will follow your shining example.
Convener
Samuel Ablordepey
0244797132