NMC takes bold step against media attacks

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The National Media Commission (NMC) is calling on the Police for update on the prosecution of all assault cases involving journalists and media houses.

Chairman of NMC, Yaw Boadu Ayeboafo said the forum will help to know whether or not the police are being proactive in dealing with the assault cases.

Speaking on The Big Agenda on Adom TV, he indicated that, they have initiated steps towards implementation but are yet to get police approval.

However, Mr. Ayeboafo is of the strong conviction that, it will go a long way to curb the spate of party functionaries and barefaced hooligans who attack media practitioners at their workplaces.

This comes on the back of an invasion at the studio of United Television (UTV) by some constituency youth organisers of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) over the weekend.

The action has attracted wide condemnations amidst calls for a swift probe and punishment to serve as a deterrent to others.

But Mr Ayeboafo bemoaned prosecution of assault cases involving journalists takes a long time especially in court.

“Before the year ends, we shall summon the Director of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service to brief us on such cases so the public will also be aware of the outcomes,” he said.

In recent times, there have been a series of attacks on media houses and on journalists, including radio Ada, which took place on January 31, 2022; Dagbon Radio on May 5, 2023, in the Northern Region; and Jaman Radio, which occurred on July 12, 2023, in the Bono Region.

In all of these, some arrests were made, but the police are yet to update the citizenry on the punishment meted out to the culprits.

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