The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) demands that law enforcement agencies take immediate action to investigate and prosecute those responsible for crimes against journalists.
This urgent call comes in light of 13 documented attacks on journalists and media outlets this year alone.
Between January and October 2024, the GJA uncovered nine serious incidents of attacks against journalists throughout Ghana. Notably, supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) were implicated in three of these cases. Other attacks were carried out by unknown assailants, with the Greater Accra Region reporting the highest number of incidents.
These attacks—including physical assaults, gun-point threats, petrol bombings, and cyberattacks—pose a significant threat to press freedom and journalist safety.
In a strong statement made on Saturday, coinciding with the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, GJA General Secretary Kofi Yeboah emphasized that this alarming trend not only endangers the lives of journalists but also severely undermines press freedom in Ghana. Action must be taken now.
“We demand justice for these victims to ease their pain, while urging law enforcement agencies to ensure that perpetrators face incarceration appropriate to their heinous crimes,” he said.
The GJA highlighted specific cases, including an October gun-point attack on Joy FM journalist Erastus Asare Donkor by assailants reportedly linked to Edelmetallum Mining Resources Limited. In April, Accra-based Class FM was subjected to a petrol bombing, and in May, The Fourth Estate, an accountability platform, suffered a major cyberattack that took their website offline for an extended period following a series of reports exposing corruption within the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat.
Despite these alarming attacks, the GJA revealed that little progress has been made in resolving any of the cases.
“In many instances, no arrests have been made, and police investigations have been disappointing,” Yeboah added.
The GJA’s call for action coincides with the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, a day declared by the United Nations in 2013 to draw attention to crimes against journalists worldwide.
This year’s theme, “Safety of Journalists in Crises and Emergencies,” addresses the current challenges Ghanaian journalists face in covering critical national issues, from environmental crises to the charged political atmosphere leading up to next year’s elections.
The GJA stressed that the mining crisis, controversies surrounding parliamentary proceedings, and election tensions all pose heightened risks to journalists in line with the theme.
The association appealed to the Ghana Police Service for additional protection for journalists covering these sensitive areas.
“As a country, we must prioritize the safety of journalists, especially in these challenging times. Journalists play a vital role in informing the public and deserve our full support and protection,” Yeboah stated.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists.
Commemorations are scheduled for November 6-7 at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and are organized by the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the African Union. GJA President Albert Kwabena Dwumfour is expected to participate, joining hundreds of media figures from around the world.