[ 2016-07-21 ]

Shutting down social media for 2-days won’t kill us – Journalist
President of the Institute of Financial and
Economic Journalists, Lloyd Evans, has said the
Inspector General of Police, John Kudalor’s
consideration of a social media ban on Election
Day to curtail abuses that could lead to violence,
is reasonable if it is the surest way to safeguard
the nation’s stability.

The IGP has been heavily criticized for his
proposal, with a cross section of the public is
threatening a mass protest if the proposal is
carried through.

But Lloyd Evans thinks the abuse of social media
in the country warrants the IGP’s proposal if
need be.

He spoke to Citi News on the side-lines of a
public forum organized by the Public Interest and
Accountability Forum (PIAC) on the management of
Ghana’s oil revenue.

“I don’t subscribe to it and I don’t think
that will be the solution, but if it comes to the
crunch and that is the only thing that can save
this country why not, why not as in banning it for
that period.”

“In real sense I don’t subscribe to it; but
they are there and they know the security
implications and so if they think that how things
are going in this country, we have to take that
step, I don’t have any objection and we will not
die if for two days if social media is off.”

He insisted that, there will be nothing wrong
banning the social media for two days to curtail
any mayhem on the day of the polls this year.

This, according to him, could promote national
cohesion and also deepen the country’s peace and
stability.

“Even the social media we are misusing it and it
is very unfortunate and so if for a day or two
that social media will go silent and that will
bring peace and tranquillity in this country I
will go for it.”

Another Veteran Journalist, Rayborn Bulley, called
for media censorship as the nation gears up for
the 2016 polls.

“Sometimes the agenda for setting up a radio
station is to rubble rouse and sometimes it is to
foster national unity. Every story must have a
tendency of fostering national unity,
unfortunately that is not the situation now.”

He decried media polarization on political grounds
saying, “The country has become so polarized to
the point that even journalists are polarized and
it is unfortunate.”

Source - citifmonline.com

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