The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) says between January and October this year, 13 journalists and media organisations in Ghana experienced violent attacks.
These incidents have predominantly involved sympathizers of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), who were implicated in three of the nine cases of attacks recorded.
A statement issued by the GJA on the occasion of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, observed annually on November 2, highlights the increased risk for journalists.
The statement, signed by GJA General Secretary Kofi Yeboah, also notes that unknown assailants were responsible for another three attacks, with the Greater Accra region registering the highest number of four cases.
The forms of violence documented include physical assaults, gunpoint threats, petrol bombings, and cyberattacks, all of which have contributed to an increasingly hazardous environment for media professionals and weakened media freedom in Ghana.
Among the alarming incidents are the gunpoint attack on Joy FM’s Erastus Asare Donkor in October, allegedly by operatives associated with Edelmetallum Mining Resources Limited; a petrol bomb attack on Class FM in April; and a major cyberattack that took down The Fourth Estate, an investigative platform under the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), following a report on corruption at the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat.
Disturbingly, none of these cases has been resolved, with limited progress reported on police investigations or arrests.
This lack of accountability, according to the GJA, undermines the safety of media professionals and emboldens future attacks.
“We demand justice for these victims and urge law enforcement agencies to ensure that perpetrators face appropriate penalties for their crimes,” the GJA statement asserted.
The International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists aims to draw attention to the dangers facing journalists worldwide.
This year’s theme, “Safety of journalists in crises and emergencies,” highlights the current pressures facing Ghanaian media, including environmental threats from illegal mining (galamsey), political tensions within Parliament, and the upcoming election season. The GJA warns that these factors create conditions ripe for potential attacks on journalists.
It is therefore urging the Ghana Police Service to provide additional security to media workers covering such sensitive issues and to treat cases involving attacks on journalists with urgency, especially considering the crucial role the media will play in the upcoming elections.
In addition to police support, the GJA is also calling on the public to recognize the essential role journalists play in informing and protecting the interests of society.
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