[ 2015-04-17 ]

"I will not speak to you!" - Foreign Minister tells Joy FM
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hanna Tetteh,
Friday morning stated in clear terms that she will
not speak to Joy FM on the ongoing xenophobic
attacks in South Africa.

She said she would rather speak to Radio Gold, and
that if Joy FM wished, it should listen to that
station for government’s position on the
attacks.

There were reports Thursday that one Ghanaian had
been killed in the senseless attacks in South
Africa.

As part of efforts to verify the story and to find
out what government is doing to protect Ghanaians
in that country, Joy FM’s assisting news editor
Fred Smith called up Ms. Tetteh as Foreign
Minister to speak to the issue.

But her response was curt; “I will not speak to
you. I will be speaking to Radio Gold, if you want
listen and take the sound from them.”

This is not the first time the Foreign Minister is
refusing to speak to JOY FM on matters of public
interest.

As Trade Minister in the late President John
Mills’ government, Ms. Tetteh repeatedly ignored
attempts by journalists from the station to obtain
information from her.

On one occasion, she sacked a Multi TV crew from a
press conference, saying the station was not
invited.

It is unclear why the minister is refusing to
speak to Joy FM.

HISTORY
Ms Tetteh’s action may be traced to a 2008
disagreement with the Producer of a live political
talk show.

As Communications Director of the opposition
NDC’s campaign in the 2008 elections, Ms.
Tetteh, believing that an NDC representative on
the show was not arguing her party’s position
forcefully, stormed the station and demanded to be
allowed on air to contribute to the live
discussion.

Joy News Editor Araba Koomson, who was producing
the show, prevented her from joining the show.
Unhappy with the turn of events, Ms. Tetteh,
praised those days for her calm, erudite
explanation of the NDC’s policies, left the
station.

The NDC won the election and she was appointed
Trade Minister by President Mills. She
consistently declined interviews requested by Joy
FM reporters.

In 2009, there was a slight altercation between
the Awutu-Senya West legislator and Joy FM’s
Upper East regional correspondent then, Joseph
Osei.

The Trade Minister whilst assessing work on the
Northern Star Tomato Factory made comments that
were deemed unpalatable.

According to Joseph Osei, when the Upper East
Regional Minister at the time, Mark Woyongo, drew
the Trade Minister’s attention to the fact that
her comments could demotivate tomato farmers, she
requested the journalists there to delete the
comments from their recorders and television
cameras.

This was later denied.

But Ms. Tetteh’s apparent and inexplicable
boycott of Joy FM continues unabated.

Source - Joy News

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