Chairman of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has urged journalists to subject government policies, spending and development promises to sustained scrutiny.
Ministers, he said, must be prepared to answer legitimate questions while public expenditure and government projects should be closely examined to determine whether Ghanaians are receiving value for money.
“This government should expect scrutiny. Ministers should answer legitimate questions. Public expenditure should be examined. The promises we made to Ghanaians should be checked against what we deliver,” he said.
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Mr Asiedu Nketia made the remarks at the 4th Bono Regional Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Awards in Sunyani on Saturday, September 20, 2026.
He encouraged journalists in the Bono Region to keep detailed records of government investments and major development projects so that they can track their progress and hold public officials accountable.
“There are billions of cedis of public investments underway in Bono today. I would encourage journalists in this region to keep the records,” he said.
The NDC National Chairman urged journalists to go beyond reporting announcements by documenting the cost of projects, contractors, implementation timelines and contractual terms.
He said journalists should subsequently return to the projects to establish whether they had been completed and whether the public had received value for the money invested.
According to Mr Asiedu Nketia, effective journalism should provide an accurate record of government activities that can be used to assess the performance of public officials over time.
He also called on politicians to provide journalists with the information required for accurate reporting, stressing that difficult questions should not automatically be interpreted as hostility.
His comments come as the government continues to implement major development programmes and public investments across the country.
Mr Asiedu Nketia’s call places emphasis on investigative and accountability journalism, particularly in tracking public expenditure and assessing whether government promises translate into completed projects.
According to him, journalists have an important role in ensuring that public officials remain accountable to citizens.
The 4th Bono Regional GJA Awards was held under the theme, “Ethics, Integrity, and Impactful Journalism, Essential Ingredients for Societal Transformation.”
The overall Bono Regional Best Journalist of the Year 2025 award went to Lawrence Yeboah Gyan of Wisdom FM for his work in children’s advocacy, health, and medical care.