Investigative Journalist, Manasseh Azure has advised the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) against attacking the government for attacks on government
According to him, it is early days yet to blame President John Dramani Mahama for the recent attacks on journalists.
According to him, some of the attacks recorded did not even occur under the watch of the current government, hence it is illogical to hold the government accountable.
Speaking in an interview on TV3’s New Day, Thursday, February 20, Manasseh said, “If you put the situation in its proper context, I will think that it is too early not because it is too early to criticize John Mahama but on this particular issue, it is too early for anybody to say that the government is promoting or supervising or enhancing attacks on media.
“I have said these are three incidences involving seven journalists and one of the incidences didn’t even happen under his watch and if you have one week of an incidence happening within a week, some are not even up to a week yet, we want action but it is too early.”
Minister of State for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, dismissed claims by Ghana Journalists Association President Albert Kwabena Dwumfour that seven journalists have been assaulted since President Mahama assumed office.
At a press conference on Tuesday, February 18, Mr. Dwumfour criticized the administration for what he described as a rising number of attacks on journalists within the first 50 days of Mahama’s presidency.
But addressing the Press at the Presidency on Wednesday, February 19, Kwakye Ofosu called the claims misleading, emphasizing that no journalist in Ghana has been attacked for criticizing the president.
He explained that Dwumfour’s remarks were unclear and incorrectly suggested that the assaults were politically motivated but the incidents occurred while journalists were simply performing their duties.
“It is a most regrettable narrative. We do not think it is fair to President Mahama, is it fair to gov’t and even fair to the GJA or even to the journalists who were reported to have been attacked. Subsequent to the press conference, I have engaged with the president of the GJA in my capacity as the Minister responsible for Gov’t Communications. I sought to find out hat informed the press conference and why other alternative approaches were not adopted to discuss the matters, and seek redress for those affected. After the conversation we’ve agreed to meet early next week,” he said in a press conference.
Kwakye Ofosu noted that some of these attacks, including those during the recent Council of State elections, are matters for the police and are not linked to President Mahama’s administration. He reiterated that safeguarding the rights and freedoms of journalists is a top priority for Mahama, and that the government is committed to protecting them.
