The Ministry of Information has strongly condemned the unauthorised intrusion on UTV studios that occurred during a live broadcast on Saturday evening by some members said to be part of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
A press statement signed by the Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah and copied to JoyNews on Sunday, October 8 said, “the right to free expression and the freedom of the media are key pillars of our democracy and must be fiercely protected.”
Mr. Oppong-Nkrumah also stated that the Ministry reported the incident to the Ghana Police Service when the Media Monitoring Centre was alerted to an unauthorized intrusion into the studio by a group of individuals seeking to voice their discontent with the content of the live program.
“The Police subsequently arrested 16 persons at the premises of UTV, and investigations are currently ongoing,” the statement added.
The Minister used the opportunity to “encourage the media, especially broadcast media show hosts and panelists, to do their utmost to help promote national cohesion even as they exercise their fundamental freedoms.”
The attack on UTV has triggered widespread condemnation among the Ghanaian populace, prompting calls for swift and decisive action to hold those responsible accountable.
In response, the Ghana Police Service has already apprehended 16 individuals implicated in the attack.
This incident unfolded during the broadcast of the United Showbiz program. As the show commenced, an abrupt and disruptive commotion disrupted the proceedings, leaving viewers both surprised and concerned.
The broadcast abruptly went off the airwaves, replaced by commercials, but subsequent online videos shed light on the unsettling disturbance. A group claiming affiliation with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) reportedly stormed the UTV studios during the live broadcast. Their primary demand was an apology from one of the panelists, A-Plus, accompanied by threats.
In the aftermath of the incident, the show’s host, MzGee, issued an apology to the viewers for the disruption.