The Ghana Journalist Association (GJA), in consultation with its media partners, has lifted the media blackout imposed on the Awutu Senya East Member of Parliament, Mavis Hawa Koomson.
This was contained in a statement issued by the GJA today, Friday, February 16, 2024.
The Association has therefore urged all media houses to comply with the latest directive.
The decision was made on Thursday, February 15, 2024, following a meeting between the GJA and its media partners to discuss the blacklist that had been placed on Hawa Koomson, who is also the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development.
The purpose of the blackout was to obtain justice for David Kobenna, the host of Cape FM’s morning broadcast, who was attacked on January 4, during the screening of New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidates in the Central Region by thugs associated with Hawa Koomson.
According to the GJA’s statement, Ms Koomson redeemed her promise to engage the GJA to settle the impasse. She met the National Executive of the Association at the Ghana International Press Centre on Thursday, February 15, 2024.
“She was accompanied by the Minister-designate for Information, Fatimatu Abubakar, for the meeting, which was attended by the President of the Private Newspapers and Online News Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG), Edwin Arthur, the Executive Secretary of the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), Gloria Hiadzi, and the Programme Manager for Freedom of Expression at the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Muheeb Saeed.
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“Also present were the Dean of the Parliamentary Press Corps, Simon Agianab, the President of the New Media Association, Eugene Nkansah; the Executive Secretary of PRINPAG, Jeorge Wilson Kingson, and Gabriel Asante Bosompem, who is one of two GJA representatives on the National Media Commission (NMC),” the statement said.
Also, the minister promised to offer the victim, David Kobbena, justice.
GJA noted that after extensive deliberations, Ms Koomson said, “I will give you the necessary support” to ensure justice for David Kobenna.
It indicated that Ms Abubakar said the Awutu-Senya East MP was willing to work with the GJA to lay the matter to rest, adding that the Ministry of Information would also support in that regard.
“On behalf of the media partners, the GJA President, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, commended the Fisheries Minister for taking such positive steps to help find a solution to the problem and expressed the hope that she would live by her pledge,” it added.
Meanwhile, the association and its media partners called on all media houses to continue to enforce the blackout imposed on the MP for Yendi, Farouk Aliu Mahama.
The blackout was imposed on Mr Mahama for allegedly assaulting Mohammed Aminu M. Alabira, the Northern Regional correspondent of Citi FM/TV, during the NPP parliamentary primaries on January 27, 2024.