UTV attackers are NPP members; I take full responsibility for their actions – National Youth Organiser
Salam Mustapha, the National Youth Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has acknowledged that the individuals who stormed the studios of United Television (UTV) during its popular live entertainment show are indeed members of the NPP. Speaking during an interview on Ghana's prominent current affairs radio show, Ekosiisen, on October 9, Mustapha openly confirmed their party affiliation.
He stated, "I can't deny their association with the NPP. All the individuals in the video are known to me. I can confirm that some of them hold positions as constituency youth organizers, and one even serves as a Deputy Greater Accra Youth Organiser. These individuals are part of my team, and I cannot deny their authentic membership within the New Patriotic Party. I must be honest on this platform; they are NPP members, and I am well acquainted with them."
When questioned about the status of the Deputy Youth Organiser and whether he was currently acting as the Greater Accra NPP Youth Organiser, Mustapha stated that he couldn't confirm that information as the regional executives had yet to inform the national level about any such changes.
Mustapha explained that the current Greater Accra Youth Organiser, Moses Abor, had submitted a resignation letter to the party leadership, which was still under consideration. He noted, "To the best of my knowledge, the party's elders are still reviewing that letter, and the Regional Executive Committee has not discussed it yet. We hope that by the time they address it, there will be communication regarding his resignation, and an acting Regional Youth Organiser will be appointed."
Nonetheless, he clarified that at present, his brother, Mandela, was overseeing the Greater Accra Regional Youth wing.
Responding to questions about whether he was aware of the attack in advance as the National Youth Organiser, Mustapha emphasized that such an event could not have been premeditated by the party. He said, "Honestly, I had no prior knowledge of the actions taken by these young men. I only received a call when the incident occurred, and they explained what transpired."
Mustapha assumed full responsibility for the incident, stating, "As the National Youth Organiser, I take full responsibility for what happened. They are individuals I work closely with, and their behavior was inappropriate."
He reiterated the NPP's commitment to the media's role as a crucial stakeholder in Ghana's democracy and expressed remorse for the incident. Mustapha pledged to foster a more cooperative relationship between the party and the media going forward, emphasizing that such occurrences would not be repeated.
The National Youth Organiser also affirmed the party's cooperation with the police, who had arrested sixteen individuals in connection with the incident, later granting them bail.
The incident involved a group of young men who forcibly entered the UTV studios during the station's prime-time entertainment show, 'United Showbiz,' temporarily disrupting the program and making threats against the host and her guests on live television. Their actions were motivated by their perception that the show had consistently provided a platform for unfair and unprofessional criticism of the government.
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) strongly condemned the incident, describing it as "barbaric and medieval." The GJA asserted that such acts sought to establish an atmosphere of impunity against the media, which they vowed to resist.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
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