The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) says they have observed with sadness the increasing attacks on the freedom of expression and of the media.
These developments are not in the interest of the growing democratic dispensation, UTAG said.
“The recent attacks on journalists and some media houses in the country are attacks on freedom of expression as guaranteed in Chapter 12 of Article 162 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.
“While condemning these acts of violence and lawlessness, UTAG commends the police for acting swiftly to arrest some individuals who recently attacked journalists and panellists at United Television (UTV). We call on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to ensure that perpetrators of all attacks on journalists, including the one on Citifm journalists, media houses and killings of journalists in the country, are arrested and prosecuted without fail,” a communique they issued after its 21st Biennial National Congress at the University for Development Studies (UDS), Tamale, from the 11th to the 13th of October 2023, UTAG said.
Following a complaint from the Despite Media Group and Ministry of Information that certain people had invaded the studios of UTV, the Police said they proceeded to the scene and arrested sixteen persons.
The incident occurred during the broadcast of the station’s United Showbiz programme on Saturday, October 7. The show was disrupted immediately after it started around 9PM.
The arrested persons were captured in a video indicating they had gone for one of the panelists Kwame Asare Obeng (A-Plus).
Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah condemned the attack.
He said in a statement “The Ministry condemns in no uncertain terms any unauthorized entry into media organization in protest of media content or interference with media work.
“The Ministry stands with the Police and the courts in the conduct of their duties. The Ministry wishes to encourage the media especially broadcast media show hosts and panelists to do their utmost to promote national cohesion even as they exercise their fundamental freedoms.”
The youth who are believed to be members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who were arrested for allegedly attacking United Television (UTV) have been granted bail, the Director of Communications of the NPP, Richard Ahiagbah, also said.
Mr Ahiagbah who earlier condemned the action of the youth and further distanced the NPP from the development indicated that the governing party was ready to provide assistance to the Police in investigating this matter.
“Anytime they need anything, we will be ready to supply them if we have. They have not reached out to us yet, we are waiting to hear from them,” he said.
He further revealed that the arrested persons have been granted bail pending investigations. They are now on bail pending any investigation,” Ahiagbah said.
Regarding the thugs who assaulted a reporter of Citi FM/TV covering the vetting of aspirants for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Odododiodio Constituency primary on October 13, 2023, the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) called on the Police to immediately arrest and prosecute the thugs.
“What happened at the offices of the Greater Accra Regional Branch of the NDC on Friday was an act of insanity that must not be allowed to fester in our body politic, and so we urge the Police to act swiftly to arrest and prosecute the thugs in order to help sanitise the political space, especially in respect of assault on media practitioners by political actors.
“For the records, we wish to emphasise that the City FM/TV News Team were at the NDC Regional Office to perform a public-interest duty and they were properly and professionally clothed in respect of identity,” the GJA said in a statement.
The statement added “In the circumstances, we expected the party leadership or the party as an institution to protect the news team from harm, and the thugs to refrain from making them objects of attack in their internal party skirmishes.
“The GJA has taken ‘editorial notice’ of press statements issued by the NDC’s regional and national leadership condemning the attack on the journalist, apologising for the ‘highly irresponsible’ act and giving assurance to deal with the party’s thugs who indulged in that dastardly act.”
The Information Minister also condemned this particular action.