Ghana takes steps to end attacks on journalists – Oppong Nkrumah

General News of Friday, July 12, 2019

Source: citinewsroom.com

2019-07-12

Ghana has partnered with other Commonwealth countries to pledge to protect journalists at the World Conference on Freedom of the Media which has just ended in London.

The two-day conference was also used to discuss ways to ensure responsible media and support for the safety and protection of journalists.

Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, who led the Ghanaian delegation, said his country is taking steps to end the abuse and attacks on journalists.

The legislator of Ofoase Ayirebi, through the establishment of a coordination mechanism for the safety of journalists, media professionals in the country and other stakeholders, will be equipped to prevent abuses and independently validate future attacks.

In his address to the conference, Nkrumah said that Ghana has and continues to put in place a strong mechanism for free and responsible media practice through constitutional and legal frameworks.

"Ghana has repealed the criminal libel law, pbaded a whistleblower law and recently adopted the right to information. These developments have introduced a refreshing pluralism into the Ghanaian media landscape. It has also opened access to new and diverse voices that have fostered democracy and participation in governance and development; and above all, to strengthen the freedom of the press, "he said.

The Information Minister said Ghana's performance in the World Press Freedom Index in recent years was laudable, despite recent attacks on press freedom, including the murder of Ahmed Hussein Suale as part of recent incidents.

"In recent years, Ghana has also seen its share of global attacks against free media, despite our good results. The worst badbadination of Ahmed Suale, in cold blood, would be related to his work as an badociate of the Tiger Eye PI press organization. Unfortunately, our investigative agencies have not made much progress in arresting and punishing the perpetrators of such acts. It seems that we have considered media excellence and public tolerance as acquired, but we now have to face the changing realities and do more, "he added.

Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, however, revealed that Ghana is putting in place a media capacity building program to support quality journalism, yet does not balk at legislating against misinformation and disinformation that pose challenges to confidence in the media. media.

The minister urged the media and journalists to go beyond investigations and reveal wrongdoing and use their platforms to also highlight the positive progress of corporations.

The first World Conference on Freedom of the Media was organized jointly by the British and Canadian governments.