Let�s Not Sacrifice Peace For Economic Gains

Alhaji Abdulai Abubakar, the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly Coordinating Director, has urged    Media Practitioners not to sacrifice peace for economic gains.

          The Municipal Director made the call in Bolgatanga on Wednesday when the Bolgatanga Municipal Security Committee interacted with  Media Practitioners in the Region to see how they could chart a path to help maintain peace in the area.

           The current chieftaincy problem in the Municipality, coupled with the death of the Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Adams Mahama,  necessitated  the holding of the meeting.

            The Municipal Director  stated that as  Media Personnel , they had a very crucial role to play in maintaining and sustaining peace in the Municipality and the region as a whole, and admonished  them to  be mindful in their reportage,  in order not to incite people, create acrimony and anarchy .

          “Let’s all endeavour not to sacrifice peace for economic gains, since that will draw the development progress  of the area anti clockwise”, Alhaji  Abubakar stressed.

            The Municipal Police  Commander, Chief Superintendent Christian Bortsi, who chaired the meeting, said maintenance and sustenance of peace was a collective responsibility,  and impressed upon the Media to play their part very well.

               He said, until recent times,  the Municipality was noted to be  one of the peaceful areas in the country,  and said  the Committee was doing everything possible to help restore peace in the area.

                He impressed upon the Media Practitioners to double-cross their facts very well  from authentic sources, such as the Police,  before reporting, in order  not to cause  unnecessary panic and fear.

                 The Media Practitioners on their part blamed the security agencies,  particularly the Police, for refusing to release information  before publication,  and indicated that such acts gave room for speculation.

                 They, therefore, urged the Committee to play a key role by ensuring that the security agencies gave them  information  anytime they needed them, in order  to  cross-check their   facts before publication.

                  The Media Personnel also called on the Municipal and the Regional Police Command to   organize press briefings periodically, to update them on  the security situation in the region.

                Earlier on,  the Committee met representatives of the various Political Parties on the same security issues bordering the Municipality.