The 2012 Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has stated that despite claims by some Ghanaians that the repeal of criminal and seditious libel laws has made the Ghanaian media and journalists reckless and unprofessional in their work, thereby damaging the good name and reputation of public figures and endangering society as a whole, he still insists that their repeal was necessary in the public interest and marked a victory in the struggle of Ghanaians for liberty and, especially, for freedom of expression. Nana Addo made this known in a speech delivered today on the topic “Outlawing Criminal Libel Laws in Ghana”, at a conference on the twin themes of “African Constitutionalism: Present challenges and prospects for the future” and “African constitutionalism and the media”, co-organised by the institute of Comparative and International Law and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. The NPP flagbearer, in his opening remarks, recalled the fateful day of August 2, 2001, when the then President of Ghana, his Excellency John Agyekum Kufuor, gave his assent to the enactment of the Criminal Code (Repeal of Criminal Libel and Seditious Libel Laws) (Amendment) Act, 2001 (Act 602), bringing an end to more than a century-old regime of laws repressive of free expression. “By this singular deed, a historic victory was won in the struggle of our people for liberty and, especially, for freedom of expression. My modest self had a happy and privileged role in this historic process by being the Attorney General who piloted the passage of the repeal through the Parliament of Ghana’s Republic,” Nana Addo added. According to Nana Addo, the repeal of these laws has contributed to the growth of a vibrant and critical media that has won Ghana the reputation of having one of the most media friendly and liberal climates on the continent and has contributed significantly to the deepening of democracy in Ghana and enhancing public accountability as a strategic goal of public policy. The NPP flagbearer was, however, quick to add that media excesses and acts of unprofessional conduct by the media in Ghana, some which cannot be justified under any circumstance, have partly given a bad name to sections of the Ghanaian media and provided the ready ammunition to authoritarian and anti-democratic forces to initiate a rear-guard action for the reintroduction of the criminal and seditious libel laws. “Fortunately, the good sense of Ghanaians and their love of liberty have ensured that these demands have not found fertile grounds for growth in the political space. Rather, there is general recognition of the need for training, critical engagement by society with our media, self-regulation and insistence on media ethics and journalistic standards by media houses, journalists and their organizations as part of the process of building a culture of high journalistic standards and professionalism in the Ghanaian media. This has largely been accepted as the means of addressing the current shortcomings and ills of our mass media” Nana Addo said. Nana Addo left Ghana for South Africa on Sunday 31st July to participate in this four day conference and was accompanied by his Press Secretary, Herbert Krapa and NPP National Youth Organiser, Anthony Karbo. Other speakers at the four-day conference include H.E. Jeffrey T. Radebe, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development of South Africa and Yash Ghai, Emeritus Professor, University of Hong Kong and former Chairperson, Constitution of Kenya Review Commission.