A former  Minister of State in the Rawlings government, Kojo Yankah, has charged government to be more transparent in its dealings with the media.

“If the government lies, the people would find out anyway,” the former Information Minister told Joy News’ Kojo Yankson in an interview.

Speaking on what has become a convention by successive governments, Mr Yankah said the practice of having sector ministers come to the Information Ministry to Meet The Press is not transparent.

The former Agona East East MP described the practice tagged as ‘Meet the Press Series’ as “stage-managed.”

“Let every Ministry be free to provide information when they want to and when they have to,” the one time Ashanti Regional Minister said.

“Go to the regions, some Ministers don’t talk because they fear it will counter the sector minister…Why should it be so,” he quizzed.

Akufo-Addo’s record on Media freedom

Speaking on how media freedom has been so far under President Nana Akufo-Addo, the former Editor of Daily Graphic described it as “disappointing but not shocking.”

According to founder and President of the African University College of Communications, for someone who has advocated media freedom, Akufo-Addo’s administration can certainly do better to enhance media freedom.

Mr Yankah said the President Akufo-Addo “should demonstrate more openness to what’s happening” in his administration.

Read: Akufo-Addo administration has worst press freedom record – Tarzan fires

Attacks on journalists: Akufo-Addo's record similar to Rawlings' - Haruna Attah

He cited the deference of the implementation of the Right to Information Act as a clear indication that the state machinery is not yet ready to implement the RTI.