By Dennis Peprah
Sunyani, (Bono), Jan. 9, GNA -The Global Media Foundation (GloMeF), anti-corruption, human rights and media advocacy Non-Governmental Organisation has condemned assault on a media practitioner working with the Class Media by some officers of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS).
They commended President John Dramani Mahama for his prompt response and ordering an independent investigation into the assaults.
The Foundation gave the condemnation in a statement issued and signed by Mr Raphael Godlove Ahenu, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer, the GloMeF and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani.
It followed the circulation of a viral video showing some personnel of the GNFS assaulting the journalist, which has since received public condemnation, with media experts and organisations calling for the interdiction of the fire personnel.
“This barbarous act is unacceptable, unprofessional, and wholly inconsistent with the mandate of any state security institution sworn to protect lives, property, and the rule of law,” it stated.
The statement said: “Violence against journalists performing their lawful duties is an affront to press freedom and a direct threat to Ghana’s democratic credentials” and urged the and relevant institutions to facilitate a “transparent and time-bound inquiry that leads to accountability, corrective action and institutional reforms to prevent recurrence”.
“In fact, GloMeF joins other well-meaning Ghanaians in denouncing this barbaric conduct.
Journalists are public-interest workers whose safety must be guaranteed at all times. Any attempt to intimidate, manhandle, or brutalize media practitioners undermines transparency, accountability, and citizens’ right to information as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution”, the statement indicated.
It said: “Such conduct violates professional standards, internal service regulations and Ghana’s obligations under international human rights instruments protecting freedom of expression and freedom of the press”.
The statement regretted that that incident was not isolated, worrying that: “In recent years, Ghana has witnessed several serious assaults on journalists” and called on the government to do more to protect media practitioners and thereby strengthen and consolidate the nation’s media freedom.
It also called on the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), the Private Newspapers and Online News Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG), and the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) to “adopt a one-year total media blackout on any security agency or political party whose agents are found to have assaulted or brutalized journalists in the line of duty”.
The statement added that: “Such collective action will demonstrate solidarity with victims, deter future abuses and reinforce professional respect for the media,” urging mandatory human rights and media-relations training for all security agencies.
It also called for the payment of compensation and medical support for journalists who were assaulted in line with their work.
“GloMeF remains committed to defending press freedom, protecting journalists, and strengthening democratic accountability in Ghana,” the statement added, saying: “Violence against the press must end-without exception”.
GNA
Edited by Linda Asante Agyei