By Eric Appah Marfo
Accra, Jan. 26, GNA—Mr Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, President of Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), has asked the media to give a total media blackout to Mrs Mavis Hawa Koomson, Member of Parliament (MP) for Awutu Senya East, with immediate effect.
The call follows a “cold silence” on the part of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the Police over an assault on Mr David Kobbina, a journalist with Cape FM at Cape Coast in the Central Region of Ghana.
“Having consulted with our partner institutions, including GIBA and PRINPAG, as well as senior members of the Association, the GJA calls that all media houses must give total media blackout to Mavis Hawa Koomson and stay away from her as MP, Minister of State or any other public capacity and position she may hold.
“This is because we believe there are thugs, unreasonable and evil-minded people around the MP who pose a serious threat to the lives of journalists and other media practitioners. I must emphasise that we have nothing against the person of the MP, but we are scared of people around her.”
Mr Dwumfour said this at a press conference in Accra.
The conference was to give an update on the assault of the Cape FM journalist and the general safety of journalists.
He urged the NPP leadership, at the national and regional levels, to identify the thugs who assaulted the journalist and sanction them appropriately.
The GJA President said the Police must speed up investigations and prosecute the perpetrators, adding that, the Police must also identify and sanction the officer, who invited the journalist and watched on whilst he was beaten mercilessly.
Mr Dwumfour said the call for a total media blackout on the MP would last until further notice and may be reconsidered if the NPP and Police acted.
“We are following this case with keen interest, and we shall periodically review it and update the public on the same. Colleagues, we urge all media houses to rally behind our call and ensure that it has a biting effect.”
On Thursday, January 4, 2024, Mr David Kobbina was assaulted at the Central Regional vetting of parliamentary aspirants of the NPP at the Regional Coordinating Council by some thugs, numbering about 15 and wearing a branded T-shirt of Mrs Koomson.
According to reports, the attackers mistook Mr Kobbina for another person, who had allegedly insulted the MP, also the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development.
“These thugs would have killed Kobbina, but for the timely intervention of some of his colleagues around. They did not care about the evidence Kobbina showed them that he was not the one they were accusing. That is how unreasonable they are.”
He appreciated the kind gesture of Mr Peter Mac Manu, a former National Chairman of the NPP, for offering Ghc1,400 to cater for Mr Kobbina’s hospital bills, after being informed of the incident.
The GJA President said following a news conference on January 8, 2024, to address the issue, the GJA served notice that if by close of Friday, January 12, 2024, its demands had not been met, it shall advise itself.
He said the GJA also submitted written petitions to the NPP, both at the national and regional levels, and the Ghana Police Service, pursuant to the demands.
Mr Dwumfour said three weeks after the assault, no arrests had been made, thereby denying Mr Kobbina justice.
Mr Kwasi Pratt, a Veteran Journalist, noted that over the past couple of years, there had been repeated assaults on journalists by security personnel and party activists.
He said it was important for the GJA to send a signal that it would not tolerate such acts going into the December General Election.
“It is important to insist that our rights are protected. We do not want to have another Ahmed Suale. It’s about time we sent a signal that we’re ready to fight all the way until media freedom is respected,” he said.
GNA