channel247 online
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has issued a one-week ultimatum to the Ghana Police Service to address demands regarding the recent assault on journalists—particularly during the Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun—or risk a nationwide media boycott of all police-related activities.
Speaking at a media briefing in Accra, President of the GJA, Mr. Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, condemned the unprovoked attack on GHOne TV journalist Emmanuel Banahene, who was physically assaulted by a senior police officer during coverage of the rerun held in 19 polling stations in the Ablekuma North Constituency on June 27, 2025.
The by-election, which was necessitated by internal party disagreements and legal disputes over the NPP parliamentary primary, was marred by violence. Reports from the Electoral Commission and observers highlighted incidents of ballot box snatching, physical confrontations, and chaos at various polling centres—culminating in the assault on Banahene, whose camera captured the security breach.
“The GJA finds it baffling that weeks after a senior police officer was captured on video attacking a reporter with the EIB Network, we are yet to hear of any concrete action taken by the police administration against the perpetrator,” Mr. Dwumfour stated.
Although the Ghana Police Service issued a public statement confirming that the officer involved had been charged, the GJA president noted that the officer has yet to be arraigned before court, raising concerns about transparency and accountability.
“If within one week the police fail to meet our demands, the GJA will advise all journalists to boycott police-related assignments nationwide and declare the Ghana Police Service an enemy of press freedom,” he warned.
GJA’s Demands to the Police:
The GJA emphasized its commitment to protecting journalists and press freedom in Ghana, stressing that impunity against media practitioners must end.”
Source:channel247online.com/Meimunatu Abdul-Mumin
Yaw Boagyan
Rafiq Adam
