The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) is demanding the immediate arrest and prosecution of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) thugs who assaulted a reporter from Citi FM/TV during the party’s Odododiodio Constituency primary vetting on October 13, 2023.
The GJA condemned the attack on Akosua Otchere, emphasizing the need for swift action to sanitize the political space and ensure the safety of media practitioners.
The Association, in a statement, expressed outrage over the incident, stating, “What happened at the offices of the Greater Accra Regional Branch of the NDC on Friday was an act of insanity that must not be allowed to fester in our body politic.”
“We urge the Police to act swiftly to arrest and prosecute the thugs to help sanitize the political space, especially concerning assaults on media practitioners by political actors.”
The GJA stressed that the Citi FM/TV news team was performing a public-interest duty and was properly and professionally identified, expecting the party leadership to protect them from harm.
“We expected the party leadership or the party as an institution to protect the news team from harm, and the thugs to refrain from making them objects of attack in their internal party skirmishes,” it said.
The association disclosed it had put its legal team on standby and would meet with the Inspector-General of Police on Monday to discuss crucial matters, including recent attacks on journalists.
The GJA warned it would employ all legal means to address assaults on journalists, especially as the country approached the 2024 elections.
“The GJA will go to every length under the law to deal with political actors and individuals who may attack journalists as we gear up for the 2024 electioneering,” the statement said.
The GJA also called on political parties and other stakeholders to educate their members, urging them to refrain from attacking journalists and advocating for grievances to be channeled through appropriate legal avenues.
It encouraged journalists and media practitioners to stand firm and resolute in the face of such attacks, saying, “The media will continue to serve as a bridge between the government and the governed, and no individual or group will be allowed to destroy that bridge, no matter the tactics they may employ.”