Ashanti Region Journalists Association condemns attack on GNA vehicle

The Ashanti Regional Branch of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has condemned the attack of on a vehicle of the Ghana News Agency (GNA) by some irate soccer fans soon after Kumasi Asante Kotoko had drawn 2-2 with Tunisian side, Etoile Du Sahel in their CAF Confederation Cup match at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi on Saturday.

The Association noted that “It is senseless, to say the least, for a vehicle that was clearly and boldly marked as belonging to a media house to have been stoned by persons believed to be supporters of Kotoko”, the Regional branch said.

These sentiments were contained in a statement signed by Nana Yaw Osei, acting Regional Chairman of the Association and issued in Kumasi on Tuesday.

The windscreen of the GNA vehicle was smashed, destroying it in the process soon after the said match.

The statement said whilst conceding that the GNA vehicle was not the direct target of attack by the Kotoko supporters, their untoward and indiscriminate behaviour in their haste to destroy anything on sight amply demonstrated their lack of understanding of the game of football.

It asked whether “the media should unfortunately suffer because a Club side has lost a game”, and reminded all groups and individuals that the media would want to work in an environment devoid of intimidation and violence.

“If out of very limited resources a media house manages to cover an event, the least the GJA expect for the equipment and personnel of the media house is for it to be attacked”, the statement said.

The statement reminded the management of Kumasi Asante Kotoko that it must certainly do something about the GNA vehicle in order not to mar the cordial mutual relationship that exist in the Metropolis, especially between members of the GJA and the Club.