channel247 online
President John Dramani Mahama has confirmed that personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service who assaulted a journalist with Class FM have been identified and interdicted, as investigations into the incident continue.
Speaking during a visit to the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), President Mahama strongly condemned the attack, stressing that violence against journalists has no place in a democratic society.
“I’m a journalist by training, and so there’s no way we can countenance the continued assault on journalists,” the President stated.
He disclosed that government has been engaging the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and relevant security agencies to address the matter and prevent similar incidents in the future. According to him, the GJA has been linked up with the security services as part of efforts to strengthen cooperation and mutual understanding.
President Mahama emphasized the need for a change in attitude among some security personnel, noting that journalists and security officers perform complementary roles in society.
“We need a reorientation of many of our security personnel to understand that just as they are doing their job of providing peace and safety, journalists are also doing their job of informing the people. They are not antagonistic to each other; they are both serving the same public,” he explained.
While acknowledging that such incidents may occasionally occur, the President insisted that they must be dealt with firmly and decisively. He revealed that the Minister of Government Communications is already handling the issue and confirmed that disciplinary measures have been taken.
“The officers have been identified, they’ve been interdicted, and an investigation is ongoing. But we will not countenance assault on journalists,” President Mahama added.
