From UTV to Citi TV - Yaa Konamah fumes over attacks on journalists

Media personality, Yaa Konamah, has condemned the recent surge in attacks on journalists by some individuals in the country in light of the prevailing circumstances that have raised questions about press freedom.

She bemoaned the menace of attacks on journalists in the media space after a female employee of Citi FM/TV was subjected to assault by some members said to be affiliated with the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The media personality stated that the rate at which journalists are being attacked in the country is worrying and hence it is high time measures are put in place to avert the canker.

Speaking on the Adekye Nsroma morning show on United Television (UTV) which GhanaWeb monitored, Yaa Konamah slammed the individuals who attacked the Citi TV journalist, Akosua Okyere at the NDC’s South La Regional Office in Accra.

“It didn’t get to even a week and another journalist has been attacked. The Citi TV journalist [Akosua Okyere] was just asking ‘Who is being biased here’ and she was attacked. The attacks on journalists by politicians, musicians, or individuals are not good.

"How can you assault someone who is doing her job? Is the journalist not working for the country? So any sort of attack be it verbal, physical, or assault in whichever way on a journalist is totally wrong and we condemn it,” she said.

She further dispelled assertions that the lack of tight security by media outlets creates the opportunity for such incidents to happen after UTV was attacked by thugs said to be affiliated with the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

She reiterated that the attacks on the media will not intimidate them in any way but will continue to speak truth to power.

“It's not been up to a week since UTV’s own happened and now it has occurred to CITI TV. We [UTV] were accused of not having tight security. if I may ask, is this one too a security problem? So it’s not about security.

“When UTV was attacked, people were saying we deserved it because of how we do our things now it has gotten to Citi TV journalist. Did she deserve to be assaulted? You can continue spiting us but we won't be affected by the insults and we will continue to say what ought to be said,” she added.

Background

A female journalist, Akosua Okyere was assaulted by supporters of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Friday, October 13, 2023.

Akosua Okyere's employers, Omni Media who are operators of Citi FM and Citi TV confirmed that she had been attacked by NDC thugs who twisted her hand and snatched her phone.

She was covering the vetting of the parliamentary candidate hopefuls in the Odododiodioo constituency in Accra when the incident happened.

"Our journalist @Iam_aJournalist was assaulted at the NDC’s Greater Accra Regional Office at South La during the vetting of some parliamentary aspirants for the Odododiodio constituency.

"She is currently safe and receiving treatment," Citi FM posted on social media.

It is not known whether the hooligans returned her phone or not.

Watch the video below

Yaa Konamah condemns the attack on journalists and media houses; expresses her disapproval of the violence#UTVGhana pic.twitter.com/fIKUGpe0EN

— UTV Ghana (@utvghana) October 16, 2023