The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has apologized unreservedly to the Multimedia Group Limited for unprovoked attacks by disgruntled supporters of the party on some journalists working with the organisation. Ms. Elizabeth Ohene, the leader of a four-member delegation that visited managers and editors of the company Thursday to render the apology, said the attacks were out of sync with the values and tradition of the NPP. The opposition party, she said, had such a glorious history of fighting for media freedom and pluralism and a liberalized media environment that it could not under any circumstances sanction the actions of the unruly few. Ms. Ohene, a former Minister in charge of Tertiary Education, said “Freedom of the press and freedom of speech…is what we have always advocated for. So we want to say if [the attacks] happened in our name, we apologise; we are sorry, it is not sanctioned by us; we completely condemn it and we don’t want it to happen [again]”. She said the party’s supporters had been reminded that although the leadership disputes the results declared by the Electoral Commission (EC), attacking innocent journalists and other citizens is not the way to get their concerns addressed. “We want you to continue to do your work professionally [because] it is in our interest that you do your work professionally and we do not sanction any attack on any member of the media,” she added. She presented a formal letter of apology to the editors. Communications Director of the NPP, Nana Akomea, said Multimedia had a reputation for doing its work professionally and that the attacks were therefore unwarranted and unjustified. He said the basis for the anger against Multimedia – a projection that President Mahama was likely to win the election – was completely outrageous because the Joy FM called the 2000 and 2004 for the NPP. Therefore, “If this year you didn’t call elections for us, it doesn’t justify any anger against you,” he added. “Our philosophy has always been liberal democracy and the bedrock of liberal democracy is the media so the last thing we will sanction is an attack on the media but given the situation,” and the fact that emotions were running wild, it was difficult to rein in everybody, Nana Akomea explained. Another member of the delegation, Ms. Oboshie Sai-Coffie, said the kind of challenge the NPP was contemplating bringing against the EC was a novel action that required a sober reflection and a deeper appreciation by the media in order that the Ghanaian people can be better informed about the real issues. “We are calling upon you to make sure that you fully interrogate every incident that happens; that you ask the right questions and that you give us equal time whenever possible to state our side of the story and to make our case, through you, to the Ghanaian people…and as we head for the court we would like to carry the people of Ghana with us in the clear understanding that we are fighting for democracy and the strengthening of our institutions rather than fighting for the position of one person,” she stated. Accepting the apology, the Chief Operating Officer of Joy FM and Interactive Media at MGL, Mr. Ekyi Quarm, considered the attack an infraction that would not in any way influence the work of Multimedia journalists. He assured the part that the orginsation will continue to do its work with integrity and with an eye to journalistic ethics, which require balanced and fair reportage. Mr. Quarm expressed the hope that the disagreements over the election results would be settled quickly so that life in the country can return to normal.