Gov’t putting in measures to end attacks on media practitioners, especially by the security agencies – Kwakye Ofosu
Gov’t putting in measures to end attacks on media practitioners, especially by the security agencies - Kwakye Ofosu
Minister for Government Communications and spokesperson for the President, Mr. Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has stated that the government is putting in place the necessary measures to end attacks on media practitioners, especially by the security agencies.
The minister addressing a cross section of journalists at a 2-day training workshop organised by the national executives of the Private Newspapers and Online News Publishers Association of Ghana, (PRINPAG) in partnership with the Bank of Ghana (BoG), at Ada in the Greater Accra region, condemned the most recent attack on reporter from the Class Media Group, in Accra, Samuel Addo, who was brutally attacked by officers of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) while reporting on a fire incident at Kasoa in the Central Region.
It was the first for the year, after over 16 practitioners were attacked in the line of duty
Mr. Kwakye Ofosu explained that, often, the work of journalists is viewed as a nuisance to some security officers. Saying this is what drives security agencies to, from time to time, unleash violent attacks on media practitioners after a clash.
“Government is also deeply concerned about all the challenges that you face. In recent times, there have been some regrettable upsets in assaults on journalists. And it is a matter that the government takes strong decisions to do whatever it takes to address.
We do know that there are many who act as parts of the state machine who do not readily appreciate the importance of journalists.
There are some of them who see journalists as a nuisance because of the way you look around for information, the way you are insistent on demanding accountability.
There are some, we name the state, especially the security services, who perceive this as some sort of a nuisance. They don’t see why you have to go through this process. So often they express annoyance, as it were, to the work that you are doing, and they tend to blame it on the media”, he explained.
But he said this act of violence cannot fester, revealing that his ministry is in the process of holding many fora between these critical stakeholders to meet and find an amicable solution to the practice.
“It is a condemnable and horrible situation, and the President has asked me to liaise with the leadership of the security agencies to organize a series of fora that brings the leadership of the media, both print and the electronic, together with the leadership of the security agencies, so that we find a way to re-orient members of the security agencies who are fond of doing this for them to appreciate.
Sometimes punishment is also demanded. Punishment alone is not enough. You also need to be able to understand why it is important to seek to pay attention and assess the role of others in society. I tell you, soon we will extend invitations to attend this so that you can bring your perspectives to bear on the way that this is done”.
According to him, the government acknowledges the challenges the print media is going through with the advent of social media and Artificial Intelligence (AI). He said newspapers have been struggling for some time because now it is not the best point of call when news breaks. It is in the spirit of this that recently, the president paid a working visit to state-owned media organizations to familiarize himself and also see how best to assist them in their work without much difficulty.
This proactive measure, he maintained, can be replicated when it comes to the private newspapers so that they can continue to stay in business and continue to play their watchdog role.
“I’m sure that recently you saw that the president went around some state-owned media to ascertain the situation. And it’s a challenge for all of us. The president is committed to helping the state media to get back to its old ways. I think that it is useful to have a similar plan for those of you in the private space, especially in the printing space, so that you are able to stand on your feet and continue the very good work that you have done in the past years, Mr. Kwakye Ofosu retorted.
He further admitted that some media organizations have taken steps to rise with time and are using innovative ways to stay in business.
Mr. Kwakye Ofosu was particularly excited that some of the media outlets are now actively on social media and other platforms churning out news, adding that the government is interested in helping them do their work as has been done in the past.
Additionally, he also touched on plans to reintroduce the Media Fund that was set up during the late President John Evans Mills’ administration but ran into trouble, which rendered it inactive.
Mr. Kwakye Ofosu assured that the Media Fund would be brought back and ensure that all the challenges it suffered are dealt with so that media practitioners can access it to do their work.
According to him, the president has instructed that his outfit conduct a stakeholder engagement and financial processes to reintroduce it and ensure that there is transparency and accountability.
The Minister of Government Communication hinted that the government is still pursuing plans to get PRINPAG a suitable office space, as it has been done for the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA).
He assured the government is committed and will, in due course, inform the Association of its efforts.
