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The UK High Commissioner to Ghana, Jon Benjamin, has today pinned back
the ears of Ghanaian journalists who insist on collecting 'soli'
before reporting on events.
Speaking at the 10thAnniversary celebration of IMANI Ghana, the
commissioner took a moment to congratulate Ghanaian media for their
impressive and improving record, and commitment to uncovering alleged
corruption and wrongdoing.
However, he questioned the integrity of journalists who insist on
receiving payment in the form of the infamous 'soli' before covering
or publishing stories.
'Soli' (short for solidarity) is the practice in which journalists,
who cover programs and events are given money, apparently to "cover
the cost of travel to the event".
H.E. Benjamin suggested that covering news is the job of a journalist
and that if salaries are insufficient, that should be a problem for
the journalists and their employers and not for the general public.
Decrying the duplicity of Ghanaian journalists,he accused them of
being quick to point out the corruption being perpetrated by public or
private individuals and institutions but failing to look within
themselves.
"If those journalists who pride themselves on reporting corruption in
others, then ask for unofficial payment for themselves, isn't that a
touch hypocritical?"
He insisted that an event or story is either intrinsically newsworthy
or isn't and that once someone pays for it, it is advertising and not
journalism.
He challenged the media to "surprise" him by reporting his comments on
the lack of probity by some of their own journalistic colleagues.
"At the very least", he stated emphatically, "you know, now that you
will never receive any 'soli' from the British High Commission".
Credit: Myjoyonline
