2024 Election: Media to have unrestricted access to regional, constituency collation centers - GJA

The President of the Ghana Journalists Association, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, has given assurance that the media will be granted unlimited access to cover the presidential and parliamentary elections on December 7, 2024.

According to him, they have had recent discussions with the Electoral Commission (EC), during which the decision was made to rescind the initial restriction on media access to the regional and constituency collation centers, which was limited to 12 journalists, according to a report by citinewsroom.com.

Dwumfour also disclosed that the Electoral Commission will offer 4,500 accreditations to the media for coverage of the results collation centers at the regional levels.

“We had meetings with the Commissioner on Wednesday and Thursday, and we have made it clear to them our position that we are going to ensure that the media is given unfettered access, something that was made public during our press conference.

“In fact, on Friday [November 29] afternoon, my colleague, the president of Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), also called and said that the Commissioner, Madam Jean Mensa, called him, and they are offering us 4,500 accreditations to the collation centre and the regional collation centres,” he is quoted as saying by citinewsroom.com.

Dwumfour clarified that journalists will use the same accreditation card for the constituency collation centers to get access to the regional collation centers.

“In fact, this time around, that same card will give you access to the constituency collation centre and the regional collation centre. There’s not going to be two cards, the same accreditation that will give you access to the constituency collation centre will give us access to the regional collation centre,” he added.

Dwumfour's assurance comes amidst uncertainties within the media following the Electoral Commission's decision to restrict media access to the regional collation centers during the general elections.

The Electoral Commission’s decision faced widespread criticisms and backlashes from both the media and the general public, who accused the EC of attempting to curtail press freedom.

MAG/AE