NDC Professionals Forum Condemns Acts Of Vandalism And Treacherous Attacks On Media Practitioners In Ghana

Just last week, the whole inky fraternity of the world converged in Ghana to discuss and celebrate International Press Freedom Day.

Arguably, they rated Ghana very high, presumably on account of her better Media Freedom Credentials.

However, if the panels of judges have taken into account the following related incidents they may have revised their ratings.

For the avoidance of all doubts, the attacks on media personnel cannot be glossed over as an attack and intimidation however subtle has the effect of abusing the rights of the individual journalists under the 1992 Constitution.

On the 10th of August 2014, Dishonourable Eric Amoateng the jailed NPP Member of Parliament violently attacked a journalist of the Daily Graphic.

Since nothing happened to the former Member of Parliament, Nana Konadu Agyemang of the Daily Graphic had a repeat dose of molestation by some known NPP activist at the NPP Headquarters.

On the 23rd of January 2017, one Tina Adams of Sugmale FM, Wa was brutally attacked by some NPP Youth at Wa. So was Humus Yiripha of Radio Justice on December 2, 2017.

Again, one Kweku Kyeremateng Nkansa of Fox FM has suffered the same fate by Dishonorable NPP MP Appian Kubi on the 7th Day of December, 2017.

Early on, four journalists namely Godfred Tenam, Prince Afum, Ebenezer Ackah and Maria Fordour Franz of City News, TV 3 and Ghanaweb respectively have been beaten to pulps by known NPP activists.

As if we have not had enough one Hajia Fati of the NPP Headquarters had the audacity to slap another female journalist, only because she felt that journalist looked and dressed like an onion or Tomato seller.

In all these brutish and barbaric attacks on innocent journalists, the Civil Society in Ghana, Ghana Journalists Association and even and some hitherto voices of reason have indifferently looked unworried and unconcerned.

At best they have issued camel washed statements and have not pursued the uncivilised perpetrators who with impunity assault members of the fourth Estate of the realm.

The Bar Association, some recognised groups of our religious faith who during the reign of the immediate past administration poured endless condemnation on the slightest infringement on human rights of any Ghanaian are not being heard today.

The story is different even if our own members or time tested values are attacked under an NPP government.

We of the NDC PROFESSIONALS FORUM believe that, we owe every Professional in Ghana like our sister Ohemaa Sekyiwaa and her colleague victims as enumerated above, a duty of recognition and protection.

It is in this regard that we unreservedly condemn the recent unwarranted attack on the harmless and Innocent Ohemaa Sekyiwaa of Adom FM.

We are appalled about the dead silence of the President of the Republic of Ghana who himself is touted as a human rights Lawyer on this matter.

We are similarly unhappy about the loud silence of the Ghana Civil Society for their acquiescence to this level of impunity raging on in this country.

We call on the GJA to immediately file an assault and battery case at the appropriate police station with jurisdiction on this matter

We wish to advice Media Houses and Management who put their lives in situations that are likely to bring harm and do nothing to protect them, or to prosecute their offenders only because of their own political persuasions that, they have both moral and legal responsibilities to protect their own members of staff.

The NDC PROFESSIONALS FORUM is criticality watching the reactions of the Ghana Journalists Association, the Independent Private Broadcasters Association and especially the Management of City FM and Multimedia on these abstained spurious attacks of their own staff and members

Enough is enough.
Amb. Sam Pee Yalley
President
NDC PROFESSIONALS FORUM
Accra, Ghana.