The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has taken a firm stance against what it describes as an escalating pattern of violence, intimidation, and impunity targeting journalists across the country.
Speaking at a press conference held on Thursday, July 31, at the Ghana International Press Centre, GJA President Albert Kwabena Dwumfour condemned the latest incidents of brutality, particularly the assault on JoyNews reporter Carlos Calony during a demolition exercise at Spintex in Accra.
Dwumfour declared a “zero tolerance for impunity” going forward and cautioned the Ghana Armed Forces to act swiftly in identifying and sanctioning the officers involved in the attack. He warned that the GJA will not rest until justice is served.
“The military must understand that any failure to hold their men accountable will have far-reaching consequences. We are prepared to name, shame, and take action. We won’t allow the dignity and rights of journalists to be criminalised under the pretext of national security,” he said.
The GJA has outlined a series of firm responses it will initiate should the military and other security agencies fail to act:
Legal Action: The Association’s legal team is prepared to file civil suits directly against the officers responsible for any form of assault on journalists, emphasising that personal liability will be enforced irrespective of institutional cover.
Collaboration with Rights Groups: GJA intends to engage local and international human rights organisations to track and pursue justice in all reported cases of abuse against media workers.
Diplomatic Measures: Formal petitions will be sent to embassies of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, and the European Union, requesting visa restrictions on identified officers accused of journalist abuse.
International Advocacy: The Association will appeal to global institutions including the United Nations, African Union, ECOWAS, and UNESCO to sanction security personnel found complicit in suppressing press freedom.
The GJA will lobby to have them blacklisted from international postings and peacekeeping missions.
Institutional Accountability: The Armed Forces and Police Council will be petitioned to disqualify offending officers from promotions and ensure they face internal disciplinary processes.
The press conference also served as a broader platform to address a series of recent attacks on journalists.
Among them was the reported assault on a GHOne TV crew during the Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun on July 17, as well as incidents in the Ashanti Region during the Council of State elections in February, and a protest in May involving the arrest of NPP’s regional chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako.
Dwumfour warned that the GJA is prepared to direct a nationwide media blackout on police-related activities if concrete steps are not taken within seven days to address these attacks and protect journalists going forward.
“If the Ghana Police Service does not act decisively, we will instruct all media houses to withdraw coverage of police events and suspend all editorial engagements with the service,” he stated.
“This is not a threat. It is a necessary measure to defend the safety and professional integrity of journalists across Ghana.”
The GJA is demanding immediate investigations and sanctions against all individuals involved in recent assaults.
The Association says the growing hostility toward media workers is a direct threat to press freedom and accountability in Ghana’s democratic space.
