The fact that Ghana is recognised as having a press freedom environment, doesn’t necessarily mean journalists are safe in Ghana, especially if the country is assessed based on UNESCO’s safety of journalists indicators. In the last 10 years, the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has recorded a total of 138 incidents of violations against journalists and media workers, representing an average of nearly 14 violations a year in Ghana.
This was contained in a paper presented by the Executive Director of MFWA, Mr Sulemana Braimah, at a forum organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), in Accra, yesterday, 3rd November, to mark the United Nations Day on the safety of Journalists and the issue of impunity in Ghana.
Mr. Braimah said the lack of a conscious and determined effort on the part of the state to punish crimes committed against journalists had the potential of fostering impunity and emboldening perpetrators and potential ones to commit further violations.
He, therefore, called on all stakeholders to ensure the protection of journalists as clearly articulated in UNESCO’s safety of journalist indicators.
Click here to read or download the full paper.