By Opesika Tetteh Puplampu, GNA
Accra, May 03, GNA – The Whistleblowers, Activists and Journalists Safety International Center (WAJSIC), has called on governments and citizens to intensify efforts to protect press freedom and ensure the safety of journalists, despite recent gains recorded by Ghana on the global stage.
In a statement to mark World Press Freedom Day, the Centre noted that while the day serves as a commemoration, it is also a reminder of the risks journalists face in pursuing truth and accountability.
The statement, signed by Anas Aremeyaw Anas, Chairman of WAJSIC, paid tribute to journalists, activists and whistleblowers who continue to expose wrongdoing at great personal risk.
It highlighted Ghana’s improved performance in the World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders, where the country moved from 8th position in Africa in 2025 to 4th in 2026, and from 52nd to 39th globally.
According to WAJSIC, the progress reflected “tangible efforts to strengthen a freer, safer and more pluralistic media environment,” and it demonstrated how sustained political and institutional commitment could yield results.
It however cautioned that the gains should not overshadow persistent threats facing journalists across West Africa and the Sahel, where harassment, intimidation, forced exile and other forms of attacks remain prevalent.
The WAJSIC disclosed that between 2022 and 2025, it provided direct support to 98 individuals in vulnerable situations, including 41 in 2025 alone, while also training over 100 journalists, activists and whistleblowers to enhance their safety and capacity to document abuses.
“These are not just numbers; they represent protected lives and truths that continue to surface despite attempts to suppress them,” the statement noted.
The centre expressed appreciation to its technical and financial partners for their continued support, describing international solidarity as critical in safeguarding freedom of expression.
It further called on states to uphold their human rights obligations, end impunity for crimes against journalists, and create a safe and enabling environment for independent media practice.
The WAJSIC also urged citizens to defend press freedom, warning that “a silenced press is the prelude to confiscated freedoms.”
The centre reaffirmed its commitment to protecting journalists and promoting accountability, stressing that “without a free press, there is no truth, and without truth, there is no justice.”
GNA
Edited by Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo/Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Opesika Tetteh Puplampu, GNA