Seasoned journalist and host of Good Evening Ghana, Paul Adom-Otchere, has narrated a shocking encounter he experienced over the weekend at the Kumasi International Airport.
Speaking on his Metro TV show monitored by MyNewsGh, the popular broadcaster detailed how he was verbally attacked and threatened by an unknown man during a conversation at the airport last Saturday.
“Last Saturday, they had a very unpleasant experience,” Paul began. “Typically, I shouldn’t be sharing it but because it has to do with Good Evening Ghana, I’m going to share it with you.”
According to him, he was returning from a funeral in the Bono area and had stopped over at the Kumasi International Airport, Prempeh I, to catch an Africa World Airlines flight back to Accra.
While at the airport, Paul found himself engaged in casual political conversation with a senior Member of Parliament and a notable NDC appointee who were also present.
It was in the middle of this interaction that a man walked in, unknown to Paul at the time, and after greeting the MP and the NDC official, shockingly pointed at Paul saying, “As for this guy, we should beat him.”
Startled by the comment, Paul responded, “Hey, who’s this? He said we should beat you, and I said who are you going to beat? Beat for what?”
But according to Paul, the man didn’t stop there. He continued to hurl threats and insults, saying, “You think that… who do you think you are? If this is Nigeria, NDC is in power and you are still on TV… you’re a foolish boy. We will beat you.”
Paul noted that the man’s behaviour was surprising and worrying, especially because it happened in a public space like an airport.
He concluded the narration by disclosing that he has since been informed about the identity of the man, although at the time of the incident, he did not know him personally.
The encounter has since sparked conversation around political intolerance and safety of journalists in Ghana, especially in polarized environments.
