GAF apologises to 'manhandled' journalists

The Chief of Defence Staff has rendered an unqualified apology to the two Photo Journalists who were assaulted during the Independence Day parade on March 6.

Rear Admiral Mathew Quashie has apologized for the embarrassment, harm and any inconveniences the action might have caused the journalists.

He has also promised that the Ghana Armed Forces will replace the damaged cameras and compensate the Journalists.

The CDS rendered the apology at a meeting with executives of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), and some media representatives.

The meeting was aimed at finding a lasting solution to the issue, which has received serious backlash from a section of the public.

“As humans, we make mistakes, and I believe our men in the discharge of their duty went overboard just to ensure the security of the president and the public,” he added.

The two journalists, Vincent Dzatse, a Ghanaian Times photographer attached to the presidency, and Nii Martey Botwe, a photographer with the Daily Graphic were assaulted by military police personnel in the full glare of people during the Independence parade in Accra.

They were accredited to cover the country's 56th Independence Anniversary Parade but were manhandled by some security personnel.