NPP Headquarters most unsafe place for journalists - Afreh-Nuamah, MFWA

An influential journalist who works with Media Generale, Kwakye Afreh-Nuamah has said one of the most unsafe place for Ghanaian journalists to practise is the headquarters of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), MyNewsGh.com can report.

His statement follows series of attacks on journalists reporting from the headquarters of the ruling party, with the most recent being the slaps received by Multimedia Adom FM journalist who was assaulted by famous NPP one-woman vigilante Hajia Fati in a case of ‘mistaken identity’, as according to Hajia Fati, she mistook the journalist for an onion seller and gave her a sound slap for taking pictures of her without permission.

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has also branded the NPP Headquarters, the scene of the attack, as unsafe for journalists.

“Anything can happen there”, Executive Director Suleman Briamah told Joy FM’s NewsNight Monday.

The Ghana Journalist Association has said the tough-talking Hajia Fati, an Akufo-Addo loyalist, has a record of assault on journalists. The association has said it is weighing up legal option to ensure greater respect for journalists.

The Ghana Journalist Association, The Media Foundation for West Africa and The Press Foundation have all issued statements in condemnation of the slaps. The Press Foundation called her conduct ‘animalistic’, as MyNewsGh.com reported.

Being of the journalists with considerable following on social media, Mr Kwakye Afreh Nuamah took to his social media platform Facebook to write his thoughts and to promote a hashtag, #EndAbuseAgainstJournalists.



He wrote: “Ghana recently hosted the World Press Freedom Day in its national capital. Interestingly, the country topped Africa in the latest World Press Freedom index. Curiously,the Motto of the NPP is “Development In Freedom”

Strangely, the most unsafe place to practice Journalism in Ghana today, is the NPP’s Asylum headquarters. #Endabuseagainstjournalists”

He posted again, this time, calling on the Ministry of Information to take immediate steps to address the situation as part of its plan to “cultivate a good relationship with the media”.

He wrote: "None of president Akufo-Addo’s appointees work more closely with the media than the information Minister and his deputies. Yet,more than 72 hours after the Adom FM journalist was assaulted,we are yet to hear anything from Mustapha Hamid or any of his 3 deputies. Will anyone be fair to conclude that beyond inviting journalists to cover press conferences etc,they don’t actually care about their welfare? Is that how to cultivate a good relationship with the media? Or maybe, “they are not aware”??????????? #EndabuseagainstjournlistsIronically



Pressure has been piling on the governing New Patriotic Party to take action on a known party member who attacked a Multimedia journalist last Friday.

The party known for pushing for press freedom has been silent since the attack on Adom FM reporter Ohemaa Sakyiwaa Ahwenepa by Hajia Fati which left her with a bruised lip.