Government must interfere in journalists' reportage – Afrobarometer report

The 2017 Afrobarometer report indicated that more people believe that it is justified for the government to interfere in the work of journalists and stop journalists from reporting certain kinds of information.

Mr. Muheeb Saeed, Programmes Officer for Freedom of Expression at the Media Foundation for West African (MFWA) made reference to the Afrobarometer report saying that a press freedom ranking in 2017 placed Ghana on top of the continent in terms of respects for press freedom but was placed third in 2019 after the gruesome murder of Ahmed Hussein-Suale.

Mr. Muheeb Saeed speaking on issues affecting journalists against impunism to mark the 2019 International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, outlined the untold tribulations journalists around the world suffered in the discharge of their duties.

He said MFWA monitoring had recorded about 35 violations against journalists and media houses where media workers and journalists were assaulted, intimidated, persecuted, harassed, killed, and in some cases, families threatened.

The report further explained that in the year 2019, 12 violations against journalists in Ghana.

The attacks included; one killing, five assaults on journalists, two attacks on media houses, one incident of arbitrary arrest and retention, two incidences of threat against journalists and one case of torture while many more have been subjected to arbitrary arrest or detentions without trial in the courts.

In attendance was Mr. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Minister of Information, Mr. Roland Affail Monney, President of the GJA, Mr. Yaw Boadu Ayeboafo, Chairman of the National Media Commission, Mrs. Linda Asante-Agyei, the Vice President of GJA among others.

Correction:The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) MFWA drew GhanaWeb's attention to this report filed by the Ghana News Agency that falsely states that the 2017 Afrobarometer report was produced by the MFWA and that Mr. Muheeb Saeed, MFWA's Programmes Officer for Freedom of Expression had said that a 100 journalists have been subjected to arbitrary arrest or detentions without trial in the courts. The corrections have been duly effected.