The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), Private Newspaper and Online News Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG) have directed their members nationwide to blacklist the Member of Parliament for Yendi, Mr. Farouk Aliu Mahama, for allegedly attacking the Northern Regional correspondent of Accra based Citi FM/TV, Mohammed Aminu Alabira.
The decision was announced at a joint press conference held in Accra on Tuesday, February 6, 2024 with the support of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA).
President of the GJA, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, who addressed the press directed that all media houses must [BLACKLIST] and offer Farouk Aliu Mahama no media coverage, interview, etc. as the MP for Yendi and any other state position he holds until further notice.
He emphasized, “We want you to know that apart from him been insensitive to the work of journalists (as demonstrated during the Parliamentary Primaries), there are vigilantes around him who may harm you. So, just steer clear of him and his thugs.”
He also urged both National and Regional leaders of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to seek justice by sanctioning the lawmaker and his hoodlums for assaulting for manhandling the news reporter at the party’s just ended parliamentary primary in the Yendi constituency where the attack occurred.
The NPP Yendi legislator has previously denied attacking Mr. Alabira and demanded an apology from him and the Ghana Journalists Association. He also issued a demand notice of GH₵500,000 each or he will take a legal action.
The GJA President further called on the Ghana Police Service to speed up with investigations into the case and arraign the perpetrators before court to face the full rigours of the law for their distasteful conduct, adding this time the policemen and women are witnesses to the incident as it happened.
Past incidents
Mr. Dwumfour lamented just within one month in 2024, two journalists have been attacked by political exposed persons in the country without any provocation.
“Last year within the last quarter more than ten journalists were assaulted. Apart from the attacks, our records also show that from 2021 to date, four journalists spent days behind bars on the orders of the court for no apparent legal reasons. All these cases have not seen any closure and the perpetrators are free while the law enforcing agency, the Police seemingly looks on unconcerned” the GJA President recounted.
Appeal
He therefore urged the Inspector General of Police, Dr George Akufo Dampare to demonstrate the willingness to fight for the safety of journalists across the country. He also called on the Ministry of Information to help in the fight against these unwarranted continuous attacks on journalists.
“We entreat the Ministry of Information to help us in this fight. We are aware the Ministry has been trying its best with programmes aimed at ensuring the protection of the media, but we require the Ministry to do more. We are yet to see a statement from the Ministry on the Yendi and the Cape Coast case. This is rather unusual since it started issuing statements condemning such acts” he observed.
