GJA Demands Swift Justice for Journalists Facing Rising Attacks in Ghana

 


The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has called for urgent action to address the alarming trend of attacks against journalists and media organizations in Ghana, marking the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists. Between January and October 2024, the GJA recorded 13 cases of assaults on journalists, with New Patriotic Party (NPP) sympathizers reportedly implicated in three incidents. Unknown assailants were also linked to three other cases, most of which occurred in the Greater Accra Region.


The types of attacks have varied, ranging from physical assaults and threats at gunpoint to petrol bombings and cyberattacks. The GJA highlighted specific incidents, including a gunpoint attack on Erastus Asare Donkor of Joy FM, perpetrated by thugs linked to Edelmetallum Mining Resources Limited in October; a petrol bomb attack on Class FM in April; and a significant cyberattack in May that disabled The Fourth Estate, a journalism platform known for its investigative reporting on corruption. The latter incident occurred shortly after The Fourth Estate published a three-part series on alleged corruption at the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat.


The GJA expressed deep concern over the lack of accountability, noting that no arrests have been made in any of the cases, with police investigations remaining incomplete. The association demanded greater commitment from law enforcement and government officials to address and end such crimes, emphasizing that journalists play an essential role in democracy by informing the public and holding authorities accountable.


Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, GJA President, will join other media representatives at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on November 6-7 to commemorate the day’s 10th anniversary. The international event, organized by UNESCO and the African Union, is themed “Safety of journalists in crises and emergencies” and aims to highlight the pressing need for media protection amid crises, including threats to Ghana’s water bodies, electoral tensions, and galamsey-related violence.


The GJA also called on the Ghana Police Service to provide additional security for journalists reporting on critical and sensitive issues, urging the public to support the media in its mission to inform and protect the interests of Ghanaians.





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