Some top Ghanaian Journalists have accused President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his NPP Government for failing to create conducive environment, protect the lives of media practitioners and safeguarding the Ghana’s press freedom and freedom of expression.
The media personnel said they no longer have their freedom and protection under this ruling government citing the numerous brutalities, suppression, insecurity, intimidation, fears and the manipulation against the media by the security agencies and some government functionaries.
At the 2nd edition of the Ghana Speaks Virtual Public Forum organized in Accra by the Centre for Social Democracy (CSD-Ghana) in partnership with the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), the media accused President Akufo-Addo’s government of derailing the enviable gains Ghana had made over the years as one of the most peaceful countries for Journalists to live and work. The forum was under the theme: “The State of Freedom of Expression and Media Freedom in Ghana”.
The forum revealed that Ghana which ranked 26th in 2017 out of 180 countries on the world press freedom ranking now ranks 30th in 2020 under the watch of the NPP government. There have been several brutalities against journalists across the regions of Ghana perpetuated by the police, military, political party vigilante groups, organized groups and some government officials. There have also been some needless killings of journalists under the Akufo-Addo’s regime including the killing of Ahmed Suali of Tiger Eye.
Multiple award-winning Investigative Journalist, Manasseh Awuni Azure in delivering a paper asserted that Ghana is no longer safe for most vociferous journalists under this current administration. He said that the level of intolerance among the leadership of this ruling government had given birth to many violations of the freedom of the media.
“There’s freedom of expression only when the media speaks in favour of the government of the day”.
Mr. Azure said that the degree of fear and panic among journalists had heightened in the last three (3) years of Akufo-Addo’s rule.
The Ace Journalists however, encouraged the media to continue to speak out, name and shame the irresponsible and corrupt officials for the sake of posterity.
Mr. Azure who is behind many serious expose`s especially during the NDC and John Dramani Mahama’s regime said he would had probably been a history if those investigative pieces were done in this current regime.
“I remember when I reported on the Ford bribery scandal against John Dramani Mahama, the then Communications Minister, Dr. Omane Boamah called me on phone and said Manasseh you know your article is quite damning...but I can arrange for security to protect you wherever you are….and I told him I will be fine”.
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