By: Isaac Amoah

The President of Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Mr. Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, has stated emphatically that the association is very focused and determined to protect media practitioners across the country and will not allow anyone or a group to detract them.

According to him, the system has failed to protect journalists, but they won’t keep mute until action is taken to prevent further attacks on journalists and also see to the prosecution of perpetrators to serve as a deterrent to others.

Albert Kwabena Dwumfour (first from right),Yaw Boadu Ayeboafo, NMC Chairman (2nd from right) and Kevin Brosnahan,US Embassy Press Attache’ at the workshop.

Mr. Dwumfour was very upset about the criticisms by the President of the National Media Commission (NMC), who doubles as a veteran journalist, Mr. Yaw Boadu Ayeboafoh, and ACP George Ankomah, the Ashanti South Police Regional Commander, whose comments seem to have been motivated by the NMC Chairman’s criticism against GJA and other groups for declaring to blacklist two Members of Parliament (MPs) – Hawa Koomson and Farouk Aliu Mahama – for allegedly attacking journalists.

Albert Kwabena Dwumfour

The GJA President made the rebuttal at the same workshop organised by GJA, in collaboration with US Embassy, dubbed: “Journalists for Peaceful Discourse” held at Camp Martin Hotel at Femesua in Kumasi on Friday, 9th February 2024.

The workshop was on the theme: “Promoting Peaceful Journalistic Media Platforms Ahead of Elections 2024”.

Mr. Dwumfour said journalists wouldn’t just come out and speak without having facts; after all, they also know the basic laws of the land.

He said in all the recent attacks on journalists, GJA had always come out to speak against them weeks after the incidents.

According to him, in the case of Hawa Koomson’s alleged attack on a journalist, the case was reported at the Kotokraba Police Station on 4th January 2024. In the case of the “Citi TV” journalist which involved Farouk Aliu Mahama, the case was reported on the same day at the Yendi Police Station but, unfortunately, the police are yet to invite the accused persons.

Some scenes from the workshop

Apart from that, the association has officially written to the IGP, Dr. Akuffo Dampare, and he (Albert Kwabena Dwumfour) has had personal discussions with the IGP but, to date, the IGP has been running away from pursuing the case, for which reason the Police Service and the IGP must sit up.

Mr. Dumfour directed the following response specifically to Mr. Yaw Boadu Ayeboafoh, whose earlier criticism got the support of ACP/Mr. George Ankomah to also paint a picture as if GJA and other groups which made a joint statement on the blackout of the two MPs didn’t follow the necessary procedures to enable the police administration to investigate the incidents.

“… I’m utterly shocked that no other person came here to use our platform to chastise us than the NMC Chair. He’s a senior journalist and a veteran. He didn’t take his time to even ascertain from us what informed the decision; he hasn’t communicated to us. And he just came here to say it’s just dysfunctional. He couldn’t give us functional ways to solve it, and he has run away,” Mr. Dwumfour said.

The NMC Chairman, who delivered a keynote address at the workshop, took a swipe at GJA and other groups for blacklisting the two MPs, describing the action as dysfunctional and unproductive.

Mr. Yaw Boadu Ayeboafoh said,
“Let me turn my attention to the recent violent, vile attacks on journalists for exercising their primary obligation of informing our people. This has resulted in the equally unilateral decision of the GJA in calling for a boycott of a blackout or blacklist of such people. While the approach is popular, it is dysfunctional. I still hold the position that while it is disheartening for journalists to be attacked violently, the unilateral resolve to black out or boycott the MPs is not the most productive reaction.

“We cannot fight impunity with impunity. I will support any efforts to ensure that justice is done against all such deviant acts, rather than blackout or boycott. We must follow the rule of law and due process.”