GJA urges Interior Minister's swift action on attacks against journalists

The President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Mr. Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, has called on the Interior Minister, Mr. Ambrose Dery, to act swiftly in response to the recent attacks on journalists by senior immigration officers.

During a press conference held on Tuesday, July 18, 2023, Mr. Dwumfour expressed concern over the escalating attacks on journalists and demanded prompt action from the authorities. He specifically cited an incident involving the Upper West Regional Chairman of GJA, Sualah Abdul-wahab, who was allegedly threatened at gunpoint by an Immigration Officer without any provocation.

According to the GJA President's statement, Sualah was traveling on public transport to attend a workshop on climate change when the vehicle stopped at an Immigration checkpoint for routine checks.

Sualah's request to use a kettle belonging to the Immigration Officers for ablution was denied, leading him to seek a nearby place to urinate. This simple act triggered an angry response from one of the officers who then brandished his gun and threatened Sualah.

Mr. Dwumfour emphasized the need for a thorough investigation into the incident and appropriate sanctions for those involved. He asserted that attacks on journalists are a deliberate attempt to silence the media and stressed that law enforcement officers should be protecting journalists rather than assaulting them.

In another incident, the GJA President highlighted an attack on Nicholas Osei-Owusu, the Ashanti Regional Correspondent of GTV, who was allegedly assaulted by soldiers while covering a story on trapped miners in the Ashanti Region. The soldiers reportedly confiscated his working gadgets and deleted videos he had recorded, even going as far as emptying the recycle bin on his phone to ensure no evidence was left.

The GJA has taken action by petitioning the Controller General of Ghana Immigration Service and the military hierarchy to investigate these incidents thoroughly and impose appropriate sanctions on the culprits. Mr. Dwumfour expressed concern about the deteriorating press freedom environment in Ghana and urged authorities to take measures to protect journalists and media practitioners from such attacks.

The GJA President concluded by emphasizing the importance of bringing about positive change in Ghana's press freedom environment and holding those who commit atrocities against journalists accountable for their actions.