WHY WOULD DR ACHANSO MAKE UNSUBSTANTIATED ALLEGATIONS AGAINST BOLE BASED NKILGI FM?
By Mahama Haruna
Shuffling between Paga where I’m the Branch Manager of a company (Nick TC- Scan) and Bole where I am the General Manager of Bole based Nkilgi FM is not easy but I do it more often.
I took off from Bole at 6:00am today (18/04/2020) and got to Paga at 1:30pm. While driving I got a number of calls I couldn’t pick but managed to pick two of the calls that alerted me of a write up from Dr. Adams Sulemana Achanso who has been appointed as Board Member of the Bui Power Authority by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Government.
On reaching Paga I started surfing through my WhatsApp messages and realised the said write up from Dr Achanso under the heading; “Putting Gonjaland Eggs In One Basket- Good For Us?” was flying on many platforms. Indeed I would have taken the write up to be from an imposter until I went through the comments on many WhatsApp platforms that not only lambasted Dr Achanso but punched holes into his write up.
A prolific and popular writer of contemporary times in Gonjaland Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese did come up with am apt response.
Now this is what Alhaji Achanso wrote concerning Nkilgi FM:
“…So, those of our compatriots who are pursuing the agenda of all Gonjalanders being in NDC need to rethink that agenda. Today, a particular radio station in Bole is spearheading this dangerous crusade. The station decides which NPP communicator comes on air not the party. While on air, NPP discussants are not allowed space to express their views as required. The agenda is that the NPP should not be given any space in Bole. Where does this kind of behaviour take us?…”
The rejoinder from Kudus Issifu Gbeadese on the Nkilgi FM was apt. This is what he wrote on his rejoinder inter alia;
“…Dear Dr Achanso, I am not in a position to speak for Nkilgi FM, but if you ask me from where I sit and what I’ve observed over the period Nkilgi started publishing on its website, the radio station has done more NPP related stories than NDC. In fact, the website has published more good stories of the NPP than it did for the NDC. That’s my observation and I am not holding anyone to it.
We were here in this same land Ndewura Jakpa left for us for free, when the regional Chairman of the NPP, Mr Kalamonia, went to Bole on his usual rounds. He ended his rounds in the studios of Nkilgi FM which is situated in the house of President Mahama’s father. Before Mr Kalamonia got to Nkilgi studios, he passed the grave of John Mahama’s father. In his submission in the studios, he said John Mahama did nothing for Gonjaland and thus he (John Mahama) was as “useless” as a rag. Within this same circle, Mr Kalamonia and his regional communicators are all over and accusing HE John Mahama of operating Nkilgi FM as his personal project. I am assuming that these assertions were true, that, John Mahama owns Nkilgi, which creates a bigger but relatively fair platform for both NPP and NDC in Gonjaland, is that not a big achievement for John Mahama?
At least he didn’t open the radio station in Kyebi or East Legon. So those of you who are so mean and wallowing in abject medicrity by running in a haste to ask what John Mahama has left for the people of Bole, I tell you today that he has left Nkilgi which you accuse him of opening and operating in his name. NPP used Nkilgi more than the NDC and I can defend this anytime…”.
I agree in toto with all what Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese said but wish to add some bit.
Indeed since the NPP government took over in 2017, Nkilgi FM has covered all official activities of government officials positively and without bias on air and in our news portals but we have come to the realisation that our efforts in projecting these official activities to the world is not being appreciated.
It is clear Alhaji Achanso lied on Nkilgi Fm! Dr Achanso is not abreast with issues at home and need to find out next time before engaging in unsubstantiated claims.
For someone we expect to serve as an agent of peace, unity, development as well as a role model to our Youth, to target Nkilgi FM for opprobrium and reproach is baffling! It is clear what Dr Achanso wrote is not supported or proven by evidence.
Nkilgi FM since its inception has given equall opportunity for the two major political parties NPP and NDC on our programs. I have said a number of times and many will attest to the fact that Nkilgi FM is balanced and carry as much stories it carries for any other political party as NPP.
A flagship political program “Aboya Tushiso” (Hot Issues) on Saturday mornings is the only political program that NPP and NDC party representatives are invited and Management of Nkilgi FM have never dictated which representative of the two political parties is fielded for the programme.
NPP discussants are allowed space to express their views as required, sometimes using bad language on former President John Dramani Mahama on a Radio station many say he owns . We have all the recorded audios of the programme and anyone who doubts this can contact us for the audios.
What we have refused to do is to allow political apparatchiks buy airtime and engage in insults and name calling.
I am aware of the coordinated attacks from multiple prongs on Nkilgi FM by some NPP apparatchiks in recent times for reasons best known to them. But they should know that the more they vilify and attack Nkilgi FM on social media, the more our listenership increase and the more important we become since everyone would like to know why the name of the Radio station is on the lips of everyone.
Some people are not just comfortable because they know Nkilgi FM has more catchy programmes that has made the Radio station gain a huge and loyal audience across the Western part of the Savannah Region but has refused to pander to their whims and caprices.
This consistent attempt to incite the NPP government against Nkilgi FM for reasons not known will not work. We have refused to be bullied and to pander to his whims and caprices of anyone.
Nkilgi Fm will continue to serve as a catalyst for development and will remain resolute in carrying out our responsibility of providing accurate and reliable information to the masses.
We will also continue to promote and strengthen the existing peace and stability in Bole and the Savannah Region.
We remain resolute in carrying out our responsibility of providing reliable information and to make the Radio station the alternative to news, education and entertainment in our part of the world.
We will continue to do our job with integrity.
We will continue to be courageous in the pursuit of the truth and we will continue to respect people’s rights to be heard.
We will continue to give a voice to the voiceless and will always put a spotlight on the people and stories that would otherwise have remained in the dark.
Before I end, I wish to once again say that Nkilgi FM is a very professional radio station. Our stories are factual, accurate and timely and that is why the people of Bole District, Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District and some parts of the West Gonja and Central Gonja Districts rely on us for information. We don’t pander to the whims and caprices of those in authority.
Thank you.
18/04/2020
