General Manager of Citi FM and Channel One TV, Bernard Avle, has voiced strong concerns over the failure of successive governments to recognize the vital role of journalists in addressing national issues, particularly in the fight against corruption.
Speaking as a guest speaker at an active citizenship dialogue in honor of the late legal luminary Akoto Ampaw on Wednesday, February 19, Avle highlighted the critical contributions of investigative journalism.
He cited the Fourth Estate’s exposé on the controversial revenue mobilization deal between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilization Ghana Limited (SML), as well as a recent report on payment infractions within the National Service Scheme.
He underscored the media’s unwavering commitment to fostering national development.
“The [former] president’s statement asking KPMG to investigate didn’t even acknowledge the work of the journalist, in an attempt to delegitimize civic advocacy, that is wrong. Even if you want KPMG to investigate, you have to acknowledge that it was a journalist who brought the issue to your light,” he revealed.
Avle also emphasized the importance of using creative arts, including theatre, as a medium for activism and social change.
“I argue that there are creatives who are cultural activists, and until we own our stories and we do it in a way that is both entertaining but enlightening, we can never be free. So the purpose of reclaiming our cultural spaces is that everybody wants to be entertained, but nobody wants to be lectured about how to improve their life, so you enlighten through entertainment,”he noted.
