What began as a 2026 Constitution Day reflection by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) quickly turned into a sobering indictment of the dangers journalists face in Ghana.
At a press conference in Accra on Tuesday addressing the alleged assault on Class FM journalist Samuel Addo by some fire officers among other matters, GJA President Albert Kwabena Dwumfour said the 1992 Constitution remains the ultimate guarantor of media freedom.
“The Constitution is the bedrock of our democratic governance,” he noted, adding that media freedoms are central to accountability and national development.
However, he warned that constitutional guarantees mean little if journalists continue to face violence, intimidation and threats.
Mr Dwumfour described the alleged assault on Class FM journalist Samuel Addo as a troubling start to 2026.
“From the military to the police, now the Fire Service,” he lamented, “this development is disturbing and intolerable.”
According to him, the Kasoa attack symbolises a broader culture of impunity that undermines public confidence in state institutions.
He rejected attempts to downplay the incident, insisting that journalists do not require permission to cover public emergencies.
“No emergency institution has the authority to obstruct journalists,” he stressed.
The GJA commended the Ghana Police Service for recent efforts to improve police-media relations but urged consistency and accountability.
Mr Dwumfour also acknowledged the symbolic importance of Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II’s visit to Police Headquarters, describing it as a sign of growing public trust.
Nevertheless, he cautioned that trust could easily erode if attacks on journalists are not punished decisively.
Turning to Sege, Ada, the GJA President described alleged threats against journalist Joseph Akrofi Ocansey as part of a “dangerous pattern.”
He revealed that at least eight journalists have been attacked in Ada since 2022, with one fatality.
“This painful reality underscores the deadly consequences of unchecked hostility,” he said.
The GJA has called for parliamentary action, police investigations and party sanctions against all individuals implicated.
Mr Dwumfour welcomed government’s condemnation of the Kasoa assault, particularly comments by the Minister of State for Government Communications.
He stressed that words must now translate into swift action and justice.
The GJA also urged journalists to remain ethical, accurate and development-oriented in their work.
“Journalists will not be silenced,” Mr Dwumfour concluded. “Long live Ghana’s Constitution, and long live journalism.”
