Ga Traditional Council in stern warning to Citi FM over Montie 3 ‘ridicule’

The Ga Traditional Council has asked the management of Citi FM to take immediate steps to show remorse after it claims two presenters of the Accra-based radio station ridiculed members for adding their voice to a presidential pardon for ‘Montie 3’. Montie 3 refers to the two panellists and a presenter of Montie FM sentenced to a four-month jail term each by the Supreme Court after being found guilty of contempt.

Pro-government groups including appointees of President John Dramani Mahama have called on him to invoke Article 72 of the 1992 Constitution to free the three jailed men. Though not signing a dedicated petition for the three contrary to an earlier notice, the Ga Traditional Council rather added its voice to calls on the president to pardon the three – Alistair Tairo Nelson, Godwin Ako Gunn and Salifu Maase, popularly called Mugabe.

But the Council said after its press conference on Monday to make known its stance, Bernard Avle and Ricahrd Dela Sky acted disrespectfully against members.

They cited the Chief Executive Officer of the radio station as also taking to social media “with the view of lowering the esteem that people have for the Ga Traditional Council”. “We have taken note of the fact that you are all residents of Accra and your radio station also operates in Accra yet you do not hesitate to ridicule the chiefs and by extension the people of Accra,” a letter to Citi FM’s General Manager said. “We wish to draw your attention to the fact that there is a precedent,” noted the letter signed by Otublohum Mantse Nii Dodoo Nsaki II, who is also President of the Traditional Council. It alluded to an Asanteman Council sanction on a Multimedia employee. The Council expressed surprise how Citi FM will allow its airwaves to be used to scandalise members right after the Supreme Court in its ruling on the Montie FM case warned media firms to be circumspect, courteous and not contemptuous. “Please, be advised that if you respect the chiefs and people of Accra, who are hosting you and your business, you will take immediate steps to publicly show remorse and desist from any further actions that may provoke consequences.” Source: