The Minister of Information, Fatimatu Abubakar, has announced that the government is advocating for harsher penalties for individuals who assault journalists while they are performing their duties. 

This move comes in response to a concerning rise in attacks on media personnel.

Over the past five years, the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has recorded 45 incidents of assault and attacks against journalists and media institutions. 

The year 2023 alone saw a peak in these cases, with four incidents reported in October.

This alarming trend highlights the pressing need for measures to safeguard media freedom in Ghana. 

Addressing the media on Wednesday, May 22, Mrs. Abubakar revealed that the Information Ministry has conducted a stakeholder engagement with the judicial service to discuss the issue and seek effective solutions.

“So if you would remember, when there was this issue between Caleb Kudah and the National Security, Citi FM actually wrote a petition and it was a petition to the mechanism [National Media Commission]. So it was the mechanism that took over the case to the extent that National Security had to respond.

“… In January and February, we had a stakeholder engagement with the judicial service. As a ministry, we are adding our voices to the advocacy for stiffer punishment for people who attack journalists…”

“Because if you look at the research that CDD does, if you look at the research that the Media Foundation of West Africa does, we easily assume that attacks on journalists come from politicians. But largely, they realise that the data was showing it’s security agencies and others,” Mrs Abubakar said.