GJA chairman to security agencies: Give Journalists adequate protection during election 2024
He was commenting on the back of a recent attack on David Kobbena, a journalist with Cape FM, by some thugs alleged to be supporters of Hawa Koomson, the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture.
The Upper East Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), William Nlanjerbor Jalulah, has called on all the state security agencies in the country to put in place adequate security measures for the safety of journalists before, during and after this year’s general election.
Jalulah made the call while speaking on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East Show. He was commenting on the back of a recent attack on David Kobbena, a journalist with Cape FM, by some thugs alleged to be supporters of Hawa Koomson, the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture.
That attack led to a directive by the GJA for a media blackout against the Fisheries Minister.
The Upper East Regional GJA Chairman believes going forward, especially on the day of the general election, the state security agencies must protect all stakeholders of the election, including journalists, to avoid unnecessary attacks during the crucial election.
“We have to send a strong message to the security agencies that everybody, including journalists, should be given maximum protection on the day of the election. So that nobody gets attacked because the person is carrying out his constitutional and lawful duty. Then, we would have a peaceful election,” he said.
“Security services would have their role; the media would have a role to play; so too would the Electoral Commission and the political parties—the main stakeholders in the election. So at the end of the day, we all have to be mindful that when we come out of the election, we will not look back and have regrets because we have taken certain actions or conducted ourselves in a way that will bring a bad image to the country,” he added.
Source: A1 Radio
