By: Evans Osei-Bonsu
Newly elected Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Odeneho Kwaku Appiah, popularly known as COKA, has pledged to protect press freedom and the safety of journalists in the region, warning that no individual or institution will be allowed to silence the media.
According to him, the media remains an important pillar of Ghana’s democracy and must be allowed to operate without intimidation or undue interference.
“No one can shut anyone up, ask the hard questions without fear or favor. Put us on our toes. Demand answers for unanswered projects, you will be protected under my leadership in this region.” COKA told journalists at a media soirée he organised in Kumasi following his election as the NPP’s Ashanti Regional Chairman.
He further assured journalists that his administration would stand with them whenever their rights and professional freedoms were threatened.
“Anyone arrested will see a massive turnout. We will protest, we will demand that your rights are protected” he said, signalling his readiness to mobilise support for journalists who may face what he considers unjustified arrests or attempts to suppress their work.
COKA, however, paired his commitment to press freedom with a call for responsibility and professionalism in journalism. He admonished media practitioners to uphold the ethics of the profession and exercise their freedom responsibly in the discharge of their duties.
The soirée brought together a broad representation of media practitioners from across the Ashanti Region, including prominent broadcast journalists and media personalities such as Eunice Attakora Manu, popularly known as Akoto Mansa, Kojo Marfo, NYDJ, Nana Kwame Adjei Bohyen, Nana Kojo Jantuah and I.F. Joe Awuah of the Daily Guide, among others.
COKA’s relationship with the media in the region is not new. In 2023, the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) honoured him for his contribution to journalism and described him as a trusted friend and partner of journalists and media houses.
His comments come shortly after he secured a decisive victory in the NPP’s Ashanti Regional executive elections, taking over the chairmanship from Mr. Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.
COKA polled 658 votes to defeat his sole contender, former Bantama MP and former Environmental Protection Agency boss, Dr Henry Kwabena Kokofu, who obtained 269 votes. He therefore won by a margin of 389 votes, securing about 71 per cent of the valid votes cast.
Source: Purefmonlinegh.com || 2026
