Controversial 'Occupy Jubilee House Demonstration' sparks heated Debates on TV3's Newday morning show

A comprehensive analysis of TV3’s morning show, newday hosted by Roland Walker provided impactful insights into various issues ranging from floods, occupy jubilee house demonstrations, foreign oil marketing companies taking over the energy space and limited voter registration. 

The guests for the show were the leading member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) legal team, Mr Edudzi Tamakloe and the Deputy Energy Minister, Mr Andrew Egyapa Mercer representing the New Patriotic Party (NPP).   

First and foremost, the discussion on the Occupy Jubilee house demonstration was insightful as both guests and Ghanaians had diverse opinions about the protest. Mr Mercer alleged that the demonstration was unlawful as there was a pending injunction case filed by the Ghana Police Service at the High Court. Based on that he said the police acted professionally during the three-day protest.

Mr Tamakloe on the other hand strongly disagreed with the comments of Mr Mercer. According to him, the matter was an originating process and it was wrong for the police to conduct itself the way they did.  

Meanwhile, people in the comment section were divided about this issue. Some commenters were in strong support of the protestors whilst others disagreed and made allegations that it was an NDC-led demonstration.

A user named Paulus Paulus said “Those doing the occupy Jubilee House demonstration should stop disturbing our ears because we know JDM and his NDC are solidly behind them. Trust me it won't work.”

Whilst another user with the name Joyce Vormawor simply used the hashtag “#OccupyJulorbiHouse”. 

Also, on the issue of foreign Oil Marketing Companies taking over the sector, Mr Mercer stated that his outfit received information on the issue however it will work closely with the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) to resolve the matter in accordance with the constitution.

However, some commenters disagreed with the deputy minister and accused him of being in the known. A user with the username Abdul Abukari said “Lies by the deputy minister not knowing about the Chinese taking over the gas and oil transportation industry! Am sure they got their cut on it already!”

Over a span of one and a half hours, a total of 1,480 comments were meticulously recorded and examined.

The analysis revealed a diverse range of sentiments among social media users, with several noteworthy observations. Among the commenters, 63 individuals representing 4.3%, expressed their concerns about the occupy jubilee house demonstration whilst only 6 individuals representing 0.4% were concerned about the issue of foreign nationals engaging in the oil transportation business.   

Interestingly, there were zero comments from individuals on the limited voter registration and floods.

Despite the significant viewership and engagement on the face page, the vast majority of comments, 1,411 representing 95.3% did not directly relate to the central discussion. Instead, these comments predominantly consisted of pleasantries extended to show hosts and guests, advertisements promoting various products and services, and discussions unrelated to the topics being discussed.

Key Observations

·      While there was significant viewership on the Facebook live of the morning show, the number of comments directly related to the topics being discussed remained relatively low. This suggests that a significant portion of the audience may have been passive observers rather than active commenters. It also suggests that a significant number of the commenters were unconcerned about the issues under discussion.

·      The bulk of comments across various platforms encompass greetings, product and service advertisements, and subjects unrelated to the topics under discussion. This diversity in comment content indicates a wide range of interests and engagement styles among social media users.

Conclusion

The analysis provided indicates a clear distinction among social media users in Ghana. On one hand, there is a group of users who seem less concerned with current issues and instead focus on promoting their businesses and exchanging greetings on social media platforms. On the other hand, there is a substantial number of individuals who actively engage in discussions addressing the pressing problems affecting the country.

In essence, some Ghanaian social media users prioritize personal matters and commercial endeavours, while others are committed to discussing and raising awareness about the critical issues facing their nation. This divergence in user behaviour reflects the diversity of interests and objectives found within online communities. It underscores the multifaceted role of social media, serving both personal and societal communication needs.

This distinction in social media engagement is a common phenomenon observed in various online communities, highlighting the different ways people utilize these platforms for various purposes. Recognizing these dynamics can be valuable for marketers, activists, and policymakers seeking to effectively engage with and influence online audiences in Ghana or any other region.