Accusations of anti-religious and unethical behavior have led Media General, the owners of TV3 and its affiliates, to retract and apologize for their controversial cartoon depicting Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as a Muslim by day and a Christian by night.
The cartoon was widely criticized for promoting religious bigotry and intolerance.
The cartoon’s message aligned with the previous remarks made by Sam Nartey George, who accused Dr. Bawumia, the NPP flagbearer, of being confused about his faith and labeled him a “Muslim by day and a Christian by night”, dubbing him a religious prostitute.
The publication on Media General’s platforms seemingly supported this view.
However, the media giant faced intense backlash from the public, who condemned their unprofessional conduct and raised concerns about religious tension in the country.
In response, Media General removed the cartoon from all its social media platforms and issued a retraction and apology to Nana Akomea, Head of Dr. Bawumia’s Communications, on November 15, 2023.
While the media house has taken steps to apologize to those directly affected, there are calls for a broader apology to the general population for offending their sensibilities and fueling religious bigotry. The extent to which Media General will address this demand remains uncertain.
In the midst of these events, the NPP has announced its intention to bring a complaint against Media General before the National Media Commission (NMC).
The party accuses the media house of consistently promoting hate and mischief against them without any valid basis.
As the controversy continues to unfold, many will be watching whether Media General takes further action to address the concerns raised by their audience and the NPP, and whether this incident prompts a wider discussion on religious tolerance and ethics within the media landscape of Ghana.
By Vincent Kubi