The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) is calling for decisive action to end the ongoing violence against journalists and media practitioners across Ghana.
This comes in the wake of a disturbing series of attacks, targeting 13 journalists and media personnel, alongside media houses, from January to October of this year.
In a statement addressing these attacks, the GJA urged law enforcement agencies to promptly investigate and prosecute perpetrators, delivering justice for the affected journalists and sending a clear message against media violence.
The GJA noted that ensuring accountability for these attacks is essential to the safety of Ghanaian journalists, who often risk their lives to inform the public.
Among the cases demanding justice is the attack on Joy FM’s Erastus Asare Donkor, who faced a life-threatening encounter at gunpoint while covering illegal mining activities reportedly connected to Edelmetallum Mining Resources Limited.
In another alarming incident, Accra-based Class FM was targeted in a petrol bomb attack in April, raising concerns about the safety of media premises.
Additionally, The Fourth Estate, an investigative journalism platform under the Media Foundation for West Africa, faced a cyber-attack that forced a temporary shutdown in May.
Despite these incidents, the GJA reported that no significant arrests or breakthroughs have been made in any of the 13 cases.
The GJA highlighted the international significance of their appeal, marking it alongside the “International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists.”
They specifically called upon the Ghana Police Service to improve security provisions for journalists covering corruption, illegal mining (locally termed galamsey), and other critical issues.
“These attacks are not just against individuals but against press freedom, a fundamental pillar of our democracy,” the GJA’s statement asserted.
It called on the general public to recognize the essential role of journalists and urged citizens to support the media’s mission to serve the public good.
The GJA’s appeal emphasizes that, without justice, these crimes create a chilling effect on press freedom and hinder the media’s role in promoting transparency and accountability.
The association’s message is clear: it is time for Ghana’s state actors and law enforcement agencies to take a firm stand against impunity and protect the journalists who work tirelessly to keep the public informed.
