The author of ‘Newsroom Poverty: The Silent Crisis in Ghanaian Journalism’, Abdul Hayi Moomen, has called for urgent reforms to improve the welfare and working conditions of journalists in Ghana, describing poor remuneration as one of the greatest threats to media independence and professionalism.
Speaking at the launch of the book, Mr Moomen said the publication was not intended to discredit journalists but to spark a national conversation about the difficult conditions under which many media practitioners work.
“This book is not an attack on journalists. It is an act of love for journalism,” he said.
According to the author, the book highlights the systemic challenges confronting the profession rather than the shortcomings of individual journalists.
He noted that despite the critical role journalists play in informing the public, holding leaders accountable and giving a voice to vulnerable communities, many continue to struggle with low salaries, job insecurity and inadequate resources.
Mr Moomen also criticised the widespread practice of journalists receiving “soli” or transportation allowances from event organisers, arguing that it undermines the dignity and perceived independence of the profession.
“The real problem is not merely the envelope. The deeper problem is the system that makes the envelope necessary,” he said.
He called on media owners, policymakers and professional bodies to prioritise fair remuneration, secure employment contracts, social protection and safer working conditions for journalists.
According to him, improving journalists’ welfare is essential to strengthening ethical journalism and safeguarding media independence.
He expressed hope that the publication would stimulate policy discussions and collective action to ensure journalists are treated with the dignity and fairness their work deserves.
Also speaking at the launch, the Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways and Member of Parliament for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini, reflected on his experience in journalism, saying the financial realities of the profession partly influenced his decision to enter politics.
He said although he loved journalism, the expectations placed on him by the public—many of whom assumed he had access to resources because of his work with politicians—became increasingly difficult to meet.
“The poverty in the newsroom chased me to the heart of politics,” he remarked.
Mr Suhuyini described the book as an important step towards creating awareness and finding practical solutions to the challenges confronting journalists.
He commended Mr Moomen for documenting an issue many journalists understand intimately but rarely discuss publicly, describing the publication as a significant national intervention that should help drive policy reforms to improve journalists’ welfare, independence and professional standing.
Reviewing the book, Dr Fatimah Mohammed Wunpini described Newsroom Poverty as a courageous, timely and deeply human account of the structural hardships confronting journalists in Ghana.
She said the publication gives a voice to journalists who have spent their careers telling the stories of others while often remaining unable to tell their own.
Dr Mohammed Wunpini urged media owners, policymakers, journalism educators, students and the general public to engage seriously with the issues raised in the book, describing it as an important contribution to ongoing discussions on media reform in Ghana.
