Shola Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation in Kumasi has donated an amount of GH¢50.000.00 as seed money to support press freedom in the country.
Mr. Yussif Abdul Ganiyu, aka Shola, the Founder and Executive Director of the Organisation has explained that the mission and objective of the Foundation was to help the media in promoting press freedom in the country.
According to him, there are many occasions journalists are attacked without any provocation whilst performing their normal duties, yet the security agents do not pay any particular attention.
Mr. Abdul Ganiyu, who is also the General Manager of Zuria FM, a Kumasi based radio station, noted that media houses and practitioners are being attacked, brutalised and sometimes their gadgets and equipment destroyed, and yet they do not get justice, for lack of support or resources to pursue their cases in the law courts.
He said the fund would be available for every journalist from the length and breadth of the country to apply for assistance or support when attacked.
Mr. Abdul Ganiyu said he was inspired to initiate the fund, having been a victim, together with another, Mohammad Aminu Haruna, during the last Eid-ul-Fitr, when the Vice President of the Republic visited the Kumasi Central Mosque.
He said the case was reported to the Zongo Police Station, after which the assailant was arrested and is currently on police enquiry bail, pending investigation.
Mr. Yussif Abdul Ganiyu appealed to the security services to help put a stop to media attacks in Ghana by ensuring that any journalist who is attacked gets justice to serve as a deterrent to the perpetrators.
He expressed worry over low ratings and decline of press freedom in Ghana on the global scene.
