Kent Mensah Reflects On His Journalism Practice Under The Akufo-Addo Administration
Freelance journalist Kent Mensah spoke to YEN.com.gh about his time working under the Akufo-Addo administration
The Akufo-Addo administration's landscape served up a wealth of narratives that journalist Kent Mensah has investigated for various news outlets, including The Guardian, Al Jazeera, and Reuters.
Currently, the Chief Ghana Correspondent for Paris-based The Africa Report, Mensah, described the last eight years as challenging but enriching.
Source: Original
Some of the stories he recalled fondly were about the Year of Return, during which he reported on the downsides of a policy that saw members of the black diaspora make trips to Ghana, marking 400 years after the end of the slave trade.
At the top of the list was the controversial National Cathedral promise, where he notably described it as looking like an abandoned illegal mining pit.
"It almost landed me in trouble because friends in government thought I wasn’t being fair,” said Mensah.
Regardless of the challenges, he maintained that it was a story that needed to be told despite its sensitive nature.
"It stirred national debate not only because of the scale and cost but because of the sensitive intersection of religion and politics.”
Despite the challenges in covering it and the strong feedback from the corridors of power, Mensah remains proud of the story and said accountability and the national interest remain paramount.
"When I look back, I felt so proud because it was a balanced story. Everybody had a say. I did my fact-checking despite the tensions."
The danger of self-censorship
The pressure of covering politics in Ghana, combined with the intense interest and passions of the opposing New Patriotic Party and National Democratic Congress, has prompted some worry about the danger of self-censorship from Mensah.
Political party supporters are known to hound people online because of their differing opinions. Sometimes, this extreme partisanship manifests as physical abuse on the field.
Mensah is concerned that this could cause journalists to tone down their reporting for self-preservation, although he remains clear that the public interest should remain paramount for journalists.
“At the end of the day, one needs to remember that we are serving the national interest, and in serving the national interest, you need to be bold, forthright, and make sure you follow the tenets of journalism.”
A word from the wise
For young reporters gearing up for life under a new government, Mensah noted the importance of having a sense of political history and how it intersects with governance.
He added that building a solid database of sources cutting across all classes of society is also crucial to being a good reporter.
Above all, he urged budding reporters to prioritise accuracy in reporting and maintain a solid ethical compass. He reminded them that the desire to be first in the digital landscape could have damaging pitfalls.
"We live in an era where misinformation can spread very fast, so the credibility of your work will be your strongest asset," said Mensah. "I always tell journalists that if you think this is right and you have done your checks very well, just go out there and put it out.”
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Source: YEN.com.gh
