NPP Boycott of TV3 Escalates As Party Executive Knocks Down News Station’s Mic at Press Conference

• A New Patriotic Party executive knocked down a TV3-branded microphone from a table during a press conference
• The NPP has been boycotting all platforms operated by TV3-run Media General since January 2025
• The political outfit has accused Media General of bias and unprofessionalism in the media group’s political coverage

The New Patriotic Party's (NPP) boycott of TV3 reached new heights after one of its executives knocked down a TV3-branded microphone from a table.

The action by Alhaji Masawudu Osman, the 3rd National Vice Chairman, drew visible disapproval from the NPP General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong and Minority Leader Alex Afenyo-Markin.

In January, the NPP said it was boycotting all platforms operated by TV3-run Media General.

The party accused Media General of bias and unprofessionalism in its political coverage.

When announcing the boycott, the NPP cited an incident on a programme hosted by Keminni Amanor, where a guest made perceived inflammatory remarks about former President Nana Akufo-Addo.

The incident at the press conference on April 16 has sparked outrage from some observers.

The Tamale News Agency, for example, said the NPP leadership disgraced themselves at a press conference yesterday.

Alfred Ogbamey on Facebook also condemned the NPP executive's action.

"Imagine a major opposition party being so petty in its radicalism to allow a national officer to throw off a mic of an invited media house (TV3) to their own press conference onto the floor?"

The TV3 mic was later returned to the table for the press conference at the request of the party's general secretary.

Captain Smart, Media General sued by NPP members

Former Adansi Asokwa MP and NPP member, K.T. Hammond, sued Media General broadcaster Blessed Godsbrain Smart, aka Captain Smart, over alleged derogatory comments.

The comments were said to have been made during a broadcast on Media General's Onua TV.

This suit stems from Captain Smart's claims that Hammond made ethnocentric remarks about a candidate in the Adansi Asokwa parliamentary election.

This suit came after then-Deputy Inspector General of Police Christian Tettey Yohuno sued him for defamation earlier in January.

Yohuno accused Captain Smart of defamation because of claims that he and some elements within the army and that some top officials of the Ghana Police Service were planning a coup d'état.

Past legal trouble for Media General employee

YEN.com.gh reported that Media General and Captain Smart faced similar legal trouble in the past with NPP-linked Paul Adom-Otchere and Francis Asenso-Boakye suing for defamation.

They felt that Captain Smart disparaged their reputation by suggesting they were corrupt.

They were each demanding GH¢10 million in damages from the broadcaster and other things to compensate for the harm done to their hard-earned reputations in the eyes of right-thinking members of the society.

Captain Smart also faced action from the National Media Commission after it accused him of insulting the Chief of the Defence Staff and other Commanders of the Ghana Armed Forces.

Captain Smart at the time claimed that these officers embezzled monies meant for soldiers on peacekeeping operations.

Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh