Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), delivered a speech at a news conference held at the Ghana International Press Centre on February 18, addressing recent media and national matters.
In his remarks, he highlighted key challenges facing the media landscape, including press freedom, ethical journalism, and the need for greater government support to ensure a thriving and independent press. ‘Mr Dwumfour also called for enhanced collaboration between media stakeholders and policymakers to promote responsible journalism while safeguarding democracy and national development.
Below is his full speech.
Members of the National Executive of the GJA,
Colleague media practitioners,
Distinguished invited guests,
Ladies and gentlemen.
Good afternoon to you all.
On behalf of the National Executive of the Ghana Journalists Association, I wish to thank you for honouring our invitation.
Today, we have invited you here to update you on some concerns we raised at the beginning of the year; recent attacks on journalists, and some matters of national concern. We hope the concerns and matters we raise today and, in the future, will receive the needed attention to enhance the growth and development of our dear country.
Cases of Ahmed Suale & Others
Colleagues, you may recall that in our maiden press conference for this year held on 22nd January, we expressed deep concern about the delay in finding the killers of Ahmed Suale. We indicated that given the fast-eroding trust and confidence in the Police in respect of investigation, arrest and prosecution of suspects involved in the murder of Ahmed Suale, the GJA may seek redress in international forums. In that regard, we served notice that if by the end of March 2025, the Ghana Police Service has not come out with something concrete on the investigation, arrest and prosecution of suspects in the murder case, we shall proceed to the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) Community Court of Justice to seek resolution of this matter. We also indicated that we would take similar action for Latif Iddrisu for similar reasons. In the case of Ahmed Suale, our international partners, including the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), have also indicated their readiness to pursue justice for the investigative journalist at other international forums.
Colleagues, I am here to report to you that just yesterday, I had a meeting with the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to discuss these and other matters. The IGP gave me heart-warming assurances in dealing with these issues. And to that extent, we wish to highly commend him. While holding the assurances of the IGP in good faith, we still remain faithful to our demands and that if we don’t see or hear anything concrete from the Police after the end of March 2025, we shall proceed to the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice to find justice for Suale and Latif. Once again, we urge the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice and the President to take keen interest in these cases. I must admit that the IGP assured us of his full cooperation going forward and promised to work closely with the GJA and his Regional Commanders in the regions where some journalists have been attacked to ensure that the issues raised with him receive prompt response from the police.
Attacks Against Journalists
Colleagues, in our maiden press conference, we also addressed the barbaric attack on Ohemeng Tawiah of the Multimedia Group Limited by a mob of illegal small-scale miners operating in the Offin Shelter Belt Forest Reserve. Ohemeng Tawiah, while leading a Joy News Team to cover a police operation to clamp down on the activities of the illegal miners, was nearly killed by the mob. We also recalled how Erastus Asare Donkor, another journalist of the Multimedia Group Limited, was brutally assaulted by small-scale miners last year. As we speak, one month after the attack on Ohemeng Tawiah, and one year after Erastus was brutally attacked, the Police have not yet prosecuted the perpetrators to ensure justice for our injured colleagues.
While grappling with the attack on Ohemeng Tawiah as the first case of assault against journalists in 2025, the count became rapid when six journalists were assaulted within a space of one week and in the month of February. Four of the attacks occurred in Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region, and two at Walewale, in the North East Region. It is very sad to note that in the Month of Love when people are demonstrating love to their dear ones with red gifts, our colleagues who were in the line of duty, were made to see red blood as reward for serving Mother Ghana. It is also disheartening to note that just about 50 days into the second John Mahama Administration, we have witnessed seven cases of assault against journalists. This is unprecedented!
Colleagues, in the Kumasi incident, the four journalists were assaulted on February 11, 2025, while covering the election of the Ashanti Region representative on the Council of State. The election took place at the Regional Coordinating Council, the office of the Ashanti Regional Minister, who is also the chairman of the Regional Security Council (REGSEC). Strangely, some thugs managed to invade the premises to disrupt the election process and viciously assault the four journalists.
Colleagues, the GJA Ashanti Region assisted the victim to go to hospital and report the matter to the Police. Our intelligence suggests that the thugs and criminals who assaulted the journalists are supporters or sympathisers of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC). Unfortunately, no arrest or prosecution have been made. The mind-boggling question is: if REGSEC cannot provide security in its own backyard, how can it provide security elsewhere? This only sends worrying signals that Ghana is heading towards a state of anarchy. It appears there is no law and order, and there is no security in the country. That is most unfortunate.
Colleagues, in the Walewale case, Journalist Alhassan Dokurugu of Asaase Radio, and Journalist Tahiru Ibrahim of Zaa Multimedia, were assaulted by military personnel while covering an incident involving the setting ablaze of a bus at Nalerigu Junction. The incident occurred in the presence of the Police but they neither protected the journalists nor arrested the perpetrators as the Police are mandated to do by law. We call on the Ghana Police Service to bring the perpetrators to face justice. We also call on the Military High Command to investigate the incident and sanction the wayward military personnel. The assault of the two journalists at Walewale and other incidents of lawlessness and impunity across the country fortify our belief that Ghana is heading to a state of anarchy and people of good conscience must resist and halt that trend.
Colleagues, there were some disturbing issues that attended the Walewale incident which need to be address frontally. First, after the journalists had produced their ID cards to establish their identity, the soldiers allegedly asked why they (journalists) were not wearing branded jackets. We wish to make it clear that inasmuch as wearing of branded jacket may be desirable for journalists in their field work, even for their safety and security, not doing so does not take away their real and true identity; and we daresay, it does not in any way whatsoever warrant assault. It is not the duty of a soldier or police officer to tell a journalist the attire to wear as clearance for discharging their constitutional watchdog mandate. Their job is to protect journalists and civilians from harm, not to subject them to harm. And their mandate is to assist journalists and civilians, not to assault them.
We intend to petition the Military High Command over the Walewale incident, and we trust in the competence of General Thomas Oppong-Peprah, the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS).
The second issue is the assertion made by the security personnel that the journalists could not cover the incident because they (security personnel) were undertaking an operation. That is absolutely false. We are not aware of any law that shields security personnel from media scrutiny in the public space. In fact, there are many instances where the courts have ruled in favour of media coverage of the activities of security personnel in the public space. So for the Police and Military to operate with such mindset is tantamount to lawlessness.
Colleagues, we wish to take this opportunity appeal to President Mahama to take a personal interest in these cases and ensure that the perpetrators are arrested, arraigned and punished for their crimes. In making this appeal, we remind the President of the commitments he made to the media and the nation on 7th July, 2024, at the Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel, during a media engagement. On that occasion, I, on behalf of the GJA, asked President Mahama (then Flagbearer of the NDC) about his thoughts on the privatisation of the state-owned media and assault against media practitioners. The President said he was against both instances and pledged to promote the interests of the media. This is the time we expect the President to redeem his pledge. We shall continue to remind him of his assuring words. We hope he will not give us cause to believe those words were mere rhetoric.
Undesirable Media Practices
Colleagues, we do not always cry about negative treatment against media practitioners; we also decry negative media practices, both with the view to ensuring free and responsible media. Our attention has been drawn to one of such negative media practices, which we wish to address promptly. It is about the designation of the midday news on Angel FM – they call it ‘Orgasm News’. We think using the word ‘Orgasm’ to christen the midday news defiles decency in journalism. We urge the Management of Angel FM to be positively innovative and find an angelic name for the midday news, taking counsel from 1 Corinthians 10:23: “All things are lawful; but not all things are expedient. All things are lawful; but not all things edify” (American Standard Version). The Management of Angel FM ought to appreciate the mission of Angels; they bring good news, not ‘Orgasm News’.
Issues of National Concern
Colleagues, in our maiden press conference for this year, we justified the mandate of the GJA to address critical issues of national concern and not just those bordering on the media. We made reference to our broad watchdog mandate under Article 162(5) of the 1992 Constitution as the basis for such justification. Proceeding from that tangent, one critical national issue we wish to address today is the high cost of locally-produced chocolate. There has always been a clarion call on Ghanaians and other nationals, resident in the country to consume made-in-Ghana products. There is also a good reason for renaming Valentine’s Day as ‘National Chocolate Day’ in Ghana and dedicating the Month of February for Chocolate consumption. We are all expected to show love with chocolate to our dear ones on ‘Chocolate Day’. But the price of locally-produced chocolate is too high and way beyond the pockets of the middle and lower classes of society. For instance, one bar of Golden Tree Chocolate is sold at wholesale price for Ghs25 at the COCOBOD Shop in Accra. In other shops, the same bar of chocolate is sold at retail price for Ghs30 while on the street it is sold for Ghs 40. How many Ghanaians can afford this with the current minimum wage of Ghs18.15p? They cannot afford it. But since their taste buds are active, and they may crave for chocolate, the reasonable thing for them to do is to resort to foreign products at the detriment of our national economy. Why can’t Ghana, a leading cocoa producer in the world, produce chocolate at affordable prices for Ghanaians to enjoy the fruit of their labour and the gift from their Maker? We urge the COCOBOD and Cocoa Processing Company to do something about this.
Long live press freedom in Ghana!
Long live GJA!!
Long live Ghana!!!
Thank you for your kind attention.
