S Attack on brutality against journalists – MFWA in Akufo-Addo

General News on Friday, May 3, 2019

Source: citinewsroom.com

2019-05-03

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) on Thursday urged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to personally take on the brutality and death threat on the lives of journalists who Was rooted in society.

The government, as well as political parties, should also publicly condemn these threats and censor "theirs," whose statements and actions tend to support violence against the media and journalists.

Professor Kwame Karikari, founder of the MFWA, made the call during a dialogue between stakeholders on the safety of journalists in Accra.

It was organized jointly by the MFWA and the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA). Even though he acknowledged that many media sometimes produced disturbing content, in a democratic society, a media offense, calculated or not, should not justify any reaction aimed at mutilating or murdering a journalist.

Prof Karikari said that there were laws such as the right to a surrejoinder, which provided remedies for anyone aggrieved by poor media conduct.

He revealed that MFWA, GJA, the Editors' Forum, was developing, among other things, mechanisms to promote good relations between the media and the police in terms of media security.

Professor Karikari urged the media to continue to reflect on some deplorable developments that could worsen the threats to journalists, press freedom and the civil liberties of citizens.

Despite the presence of political militia targeting news organizations and journalists, "we should not be afraid to fulfill our legitimate tasks."

"I strongly suggest that the media carry out an unrelenting campaign, more than any other issue today, to support any measures that will prevent this phenomenon from taking root in our political and social life".

Professor Audrey Gadzekpo, Dean of the School of Information and Communication Sciences of the University of Ghana, said the negligence and lack of action of the University of State had created this impunity in the country.

She suggested that the protocols in the newsroom should be able to train journalists who would travel to conflict areas to cover events while respecting and observing security measures.

The dean said that cases of harbadment and abuse against women journalists should be addressed, adding that the online protection of journalists should be improved.

Teacher. Gadzekpo said that it was time for the courts and courts to reject disputes amicably, adding that the judiciary should also help by giving strong signals to the public that it is unfair to To attack the journalists.

She said the Police College should organize a media course for staff to better understand why media staff behave this way.

Samson Lardy Anyenini, a journalist and lawyer, advised media practitioners to preserve their evidence, including reporting to the police in case they were badaulted in order to be successful in court.

David Eklu, director general of Ghana's public affairs directorate, advised journalists to identify them, especially when they were covering crowd control events run by security agencies to ensure that they were safe. 39, avoid abuse.

Ms. Dora B. Mawutor, Program Manager at MFWA, said the dialogue aimed to raise awareness of the need to defend press freedom, Ghana's rank on World Freedom having been reduced from 23rd to 27th in the world. made recent brutalities on the staff.