Ghana@59: The Press should’ve rejected the tipper truck - GJA

General Secretary of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Dave Agbenu, has described as embarrassing, the way journalists were packed into the bucket of a truck to cover this year’s Independence Day celebrations, adding that the press should have rejected the offer.

He, however, said the GJA, as an association, cannot be faulted for what happened.

A group calling itself The Press Foundation in a statement described the GJA’s silence on the matter as disappointing, but Mr Agbenu, speaking to Class News, said the GJA was acting on the matter.

“It is not true GJA has not done anything about what is happening. I can recount a number of issues that happened that GJA has fought and managed to secure some compensation for our members," Mr Agbenu said.

“You recall two or three anniversaries ago, a journalist of the Ghanaian Times was assaulted at the Independence Square, his camera was damaged, and it took the GJA to force the Ghana Armed Forces to compensate and replace the equipment of the journalist.

“Not just one instance. We have condemned it, we think it is improper, [an] embarrassment and an eye sore, and we have today (Tuesday March 8) interviewed some of the members of the media that were at the Independence Square and tomorrow (March 9) we are going to issue a statement on it.”

He said the journalists should have refused to be put on that truck.

“In my estimation, when they were told they were going to be put on a truck, I think that they should have refused; they should have said: ‘No, thank you’, we are not going to go into that truck. GJA is not part of the organisers for GJA to know ahead of time that this is what is going to happen”.