The Executive Director of Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Sulemana Braimah, has said that the National Media Commission (NMC) has a huge responsibility to absolve itself of any blame in the attack on journalists.

His comment followed the detention and assualt on a Citi FM Journalist, Caleb Kudah by National Security operatives on Tuesday, May 11, for filming abandoned vehicles on the premises of the National Security Ministry.

The operatives also stormed the premises of the Adabraka-based radio station to whisk away his colleague, Zoe Abu-Baidoo, for receiving the pictures of the abandoned vehicles.

Mr Kudah later revealed that the National Security operatives slapped and kicked him during his detention at the Ministry.

According to Mr Braimah, the NMC is an institution that people in the media space have lost confidence in, hence the need for the NMC to prove itself by representing the interest of those within its workspace.

This, he said when done, would enable journalists to “work towards upholding the highest journalistic standards in this country.”

“Journalists cannot do their work to the highest possible standard if they are constantly under repression, constantly being abused, and they act all the time based on fear and based on being intimidated and so forth,” he added.

In an interview on JoyNews’ The Probe on Sunday, Mr Braimah said it is expected of the NMC “to act in a way that would prove that when media personnel come under infractions that are unlawful, it [NMC] is an institution that would stand by us [media personnel] and ensure that it does what indeed would help us have the highest journalistic standard in our country.”

“It’s just as we look on to the Ghana Armed Forces to assert their disciplinary court and look forward to the Police Service to show us that they don’t countenance indiscipline,” he cited both security agencies as an example the NMC should emulate.