Press Release: Unprofessional Reportage of Jersey on Jeans Party Held on Nyankpala Campus
The attention of Management of the University for Development Studies (UDS) has been drawn to a news item circulating on social media and some media houses to the effect that the Nyankpala Campus Students Representative Council (SRC) organised a ‘sex party’ to welcome fresh students.
Upon investigations, Management of the University for Development Studies (UDS) wishes to state unequivocally that, the story by Mr. Eliasu Mohammed Tanko, which was carried by Star FM and subsequently by other media houses, under the headline: “UDS SRC hold ‘Sex Party’ for Fresh Students”, was a total fabrication.
What took place on the Nyankpla Campus on September 28, 2018 was an approved party which was dubbed ‘Jersey on Jeans’, organised by the SRC to welcome fresh students, during which students wore their preferred football club jerseys over a pair of jeans trousers. During the event, the students posed for pictures which they posted on their SRC Facebook platform / website-UDS 360. Subsequently, some media houses such as United Television also picked some random images which looked like pictures of a beach party, to garnish the ones taken by the students, thereby dragging the name of the University into disrepute.
It is most regrettable that Mr. Eliasu Mohammed Tanko would want to portray that there was consternation on the Campus because of an alleged ‘sex party’. When authorities contacted him, he alleged that he had filed the story together with a denial from the SRC, however when he sent the story to the media house, the SRC’s denial was omitted in the reportage.
The University finds such predatory journalism to be unprofessional, unacceptable and in bad taste. The fake news has been a source of undue worry to students, parents and management of the University.
Management of UDS is therefore calling on Starr FM, GH One, United Television and Pulse GH, (that carried the story) to retract the story and apologize to the University while giving it the same premium as they did for the fake story. Management again is calling on the Ghana Journalists Association and National Media Commission to investigate Mr. Eliasu Mohammed Tanko and the media houses that carried the story and bring them to book.
Meanwhile, the University’s attention has also been drawn to an alleged assault on, and causing unlawful damage to a motorcycle belonging to one Mr Alhassan Abdul Washeed of UTV at Nyankpala Campus by the SRC during the 25 th Matriculation Ceremony.
Based on these allegations, the President of the Northern chapter of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Mr. Ceasar Abagali, issued a statement condemning the act. The statement however erroneously referred to the ‘Jersey on Jeans’ party as a ‘Sex Party’ and indicated that the alleged ‘Sex Party’ was cancelled; that is incorrect.
The University wishes to put on record that the ‘Jersey on Jeans’ party did take place as planned and nothing else.
The case of the alleged assault is under internal investigation by the University authorities and appropriate action will be taken in due course.
This is without prejudice to the investigations ongoing by the Ghana Police Service.
Ms Sauda Belko-Sulemanah
Assistant Registrar
University Relations
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