On Wednesday, this week, a video started circulating on social media about an assault on a Joy FM reporter and an eye witness the journalist was interviewing. The incident happened on the Spintex Road where the National Security (NS) officials had gone to demolish structures, reportedly belonging to business mogul, Daniel MacKorley.
In the video, the soldier asked the reporter to identify himself and he responded that he was a journalist from Joy FM. The soldier all of a sudden started beating the interviewee for no apparent reason. According to Joy FM report, their reporter was also punched in the face by one of the military men at the scene. The innocent journalist was also sent to the Blue Gate, headquarters of the NS, before he was later released.
The Mahama government was, however, quick to issue this statement: Government condemns the attempted arrest of a JoyNews reporter and the assault of an eyewitness by a soldier at a demolition site.
Such actions are utterly unacceptable to the John Mahama administration and have no place in our democratic society.I am directed by President John Dramani Mahama to unequivocally reaffirm his unwavering commitment to the freedom and safety of journalists.
A free and unfettered press is a cornerstone of our democracy, essential for accountability, transparency and informed public discourse.Government also reiterates our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all Ghanaian citizens, whose rights must always be protected.
Government has accordingly directed the Minister for Defence and the National Security Coordinator to investigate the incident and ensure that appropriate punishment is immediately imposed.
Appropriate disciplinary and punitive measures must be applied without delay. to ensure accountability and prevent future occurrences. The statement was signed by Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Spokesperson to the President, Minister, Government Communications.
A few hours after Felix Kwakye’s statement, the Ghana Armed Forces also issued a statement claiming that they were investigating the incident without talking about the immediate action they have taken against the soldiers as the police did when the Ablekuma North incident broke out.
Since President Mahama is a fully paid up member of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), The Chronicle is worried that some of the negative incidences are happening under his government. John Mahama, we know, no matter how crude one’s criticisms is, will never ask soldiers to assault journalists.
But, as we stated in this column yesterday, if he does not put his feet down, some of these excesses from the security agencies will bring down his government. Even Jerry Rawlings’ regime, which transitioned from a military dictatorship to a constitutionally elected government, did not continuously record some of these extreme activities against journalists.
It is, therefore, surprising that journalists are rather suffering under a government headed by one of their own. But as we earlier argued, we all know President Mahama – he certainly did not sanction these atrocities. Apparently it was to prove this point that he asked his spokesman to issue the statement.
But issuing a press statement is different from taking decisive actions. The soldiers involved must be punished to serve as a deterrent to others who may be contemplating on acting in the same way in future. Some of the security personnel have taken advantage of the state power embedded in the uniform they are wearing to trample upon the rights of civilians.
We understand Mr Daniel MacKorley, whose property was being demolished was ordered to kneel down at a gun point. We are not defending whatever ‘crime’ he might have committed at the scene of the demolition, but the conduct of the soldiers is reminiscent of the humiliation Ghanaian went through during the Jerry Rawlings’ revolutionary days.
For us at The Chronicle, we are waiting anxiously for the outcome of the so-called investigation the military leadership claims to be conducting. If the soldiers are not punished, it will mean that all the attacks being unleashed on journalists in recent months have tacit approval of officialdom. Journalism is not a crime and President Mahama is hundred per cent aware of this.
We also think our umbrella association; the GJA is gradually becoming a toothless mongrel. When journalists are attacked, the leaders only go on air to make noise and that ends it. We shall, however, return to this subject proper in our subsequent publications.
