One expects a certain level of professionalism, accuracy, and coherence from a state-owned media house like Graphic Online. Unfortunately, their recent reportage on the Sammy Gyamfi incident falls far short of these expectations and raises serious questions about journalistic integrity within their newsroom.
Following the incident involving Comrade Sammy Gyamfi and the controversial gift of dollar notes to Evangelist Agradaa, the Office of the President acted swiftly. A formal invitation was extended to Sammy Gyamfi to meet with the Chief of Staff at the Jubilee House. Anyone with a basic understanding of protocol knows that the Chief of Staff operates directly under the authority of the President. An invitation from the Chief of Staff is effectively an invitation from the Presidency itself.
Yet, in a shocking display of editorial inconsistency, Graphic Online ran with the misleading headline:
“Presidency silent on Sammy Gyamfi’s conduct, 3 days after Agradaa and the dollar notes incident.”
This headline is not only misleading—it is outright false. The very body of their own story contradicts the headline. Here’s what they wrote:
“Eyewitnesses have told Graphic Online/Daily Graphic that the sober mood and the demeanor with which Mr. Sammy Gyamfi, the acting Chief Executive of the Ghana Gold Board, left the Presidency on Monday after the Chief of Staff had summoned him to a meeting over the dollar notes gift to Agradaa, was an indication of the gravity of the discussions.”
How can Graphic Online claim the Presidency has been “silent” when they simultaneously report that Sammy Gyamfi was summoned to the Presidency for a high-level discussion with the Chief of Staff? This is not silence. It is action.
This inconsistency suggests either gross editorial negligence or a deliberate attempt to create confusion and mislead the public. Was there no editorial oversight before such a headline was published? Has the newsroom become a breeding ground for political spin disguised as journalism?
Even more concerning is the apparent disregard for an official notification from the Presidency, confirming Sammy Gyamfi’s invitation. This omission is not an oversight—it is journalistic malpractice.
The conduct of Graphic Online must be investigated. The Ghanaian public deserves a media that informs with accuracy and integrity, not one that bends facts to fit an agenda. One cannot help but wonder: is there an elephant hiding in the newsroom? I can certainly smell an elephant.
Written By: Comrade Abass Fuseini Sbaabe