Thousands of Ghanaians took to social media Sunday morning to vent their spleen on international news outlet Cable News Network (CNN) over some disparaging comments made about Ghana following the December 7 polls.
CNN reporter, Stephanie Busari reported from her base in Nigeria that Ghanaians struggle to obtain food and day-to-day services and often stand in long queues to obtain products but within minutes of detecting the palpable falsehood, Twitter went agog with Ghanaians from all sides of the political divide lashing out at the renowned news outfit for publishing such lies about the country.
Grave inaccuracies and misrepresented facts didn’t go unnoticed as CNN got their fair share of the editing prowess of Ghanaians who taught them that we’re ‘GHANAIANS’ not ‘GHANIANS’ as they put out in their initial publication.
They further claimed that Ghana’s president-elect, Nana Akufo-Addo lost his first presidential elections in 1998 but once again, there was no presidential election in Ghana in that year.
After several hours of attrition being hurled at CNN, they finally did some corrections on the publication with an editor’s note.
Ghanaians were incensed because they felt the international media were always keen on the negatives about Africa and hence found it difficult to report a very peaceful election.
This reportage was therefore seen as reprehensible and egregious in a bid to portray the West African country as a deplorable one faced with absolute starvation.
Below are some of the tweets:
Ghanaians bore for Twitter make my eye get! @CNN paaaa! #CNNGetItRight
— Kwame Gyan (@KwameGyan) December 11, 2016
My Ghana people. Shall we do something let @CNN know we are tired of their lazy reportage of our election? Tweet them with #CNNGetItRight pic.twitter.com/A4E7GY0fp3
— Gary Al-Smith (@garyalsmith) December 11, 2016
#CNNGetItRight we are a beautiful and thriving country. Kindly report accurately on us.
— Lordina Mahama (@FirstLadyGhana) December 11, 2016
Er… Good Morning CNN. Your journalist is either incompetent or racist. I see no third option. Either way, fire them! #CNNGetItRight https://t.co/jZuZyQTm3N
— Kojo Yankson (@THEKojoYankson) December 11, 2016
CNN updated/corrected the story with an Editor’s note. https://t.co/rUdVvCGXZK #CNNGetItRight pic.twitter.com/4NCVLUyhgm
— Juliet Bawuah (@julietbawuah) December 11, 2016
At least, spellchecker on the PC of whoever wrote this should have pointed out the word ‘Ghanaians’ and NOT ‘Ghanians’. #CNNGetItRight pic.twitter.com/C4c0m8wDRB
— Gary Al-Smith (@garyalsmith) December 11, 2016
#CNNGetItRight
Americans have always failed Africa.
All the stories about Africa is war and poverty.And they wonder why Trump won.@CNN— Yawo Ihougan (@YIhougan) December 11, 2016
Ah ah, so who at @cnn was paid to spew such lies abt one of Africa’s most amazing counties? #CNNGetItRight we demand an apology
— OverflowStevein Oil™ (@Stevein_Oil) December 11, 2016
Dear @CNN, this isn’t like 90s or early 2000s w no social media and u could report a warped view on a continent or a country #CNNGetItRight
— Moji Oderinde (@mojipov) December 11, 2016
#CNNGetItRight there are ppl on the streets of america sayin “not my president” and destroying properties. have u finished covering that?
— Kwame Amoateng (@amoat7) December 11, 2016
I like how Ghanaians jumped to put @CNN right!! You can’t just write anything about Ghana or Africa without facts #CNNGetItRight
— Eu Gene (@igbeve) December 11, 2016
#CNNGetItRight I even wonder why @CNN will employ a Nigerian to report abt Gh. when Gh has good professional reporters abound.
— MARCUS GARVEY (@PAPAGARVEY) December 11, 2016
The earlier the better @CNN apologize to my motherland Ghana. You can still make this right!! #CNNGetItRight
— Psalm Rock (@psalmrock) December 11, 2016
The ex general secretary of UN, Kofi Annan is Ghanaian. Ask him if he queues for food. #CNNGetItRight
— Benny Bernie Jay (@MrBennySays) December 11, 2016
CNN I queue to buy Chipotle every day on my lunch break in downtown Minneapolis. Does that mean I am poor? @CNN #CNNGetItRight
— ALarbi (@ALarbi2) December 11, 2016
These tweets compelled the CNN to come out with a correction of the story
CNN updated/corrected the story with an Editor’s note. https://t.co/rUdVvCGXZK#CNNGetItRightpic.twitter.com/4NCVLUyhgm
— Juliet Bawuah (@julietbawuah) December 11, 2016
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