The President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Albert Dzumfuor, has addressed the public regarding recent attacks on journalists by security personnel.

The press conference took place on Wednesday, January 28, at the Accra International Press Centre.

Read the full text of his speech

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE GHANA JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION (GJA) ALBERT DWUMFOUR AT A PRESS CONFERENCE ON UPDATE ON ATTACKS ON JOURNALISTS AND EMERGING THREATS, JANUARY 28, 2026 at the GHANA INTERNATIONAL PRESS CENTRE, ACCRA

Good Day, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen.

The National Executive of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) is grateful for your continuous coverage of our press conferences and other activities as we strive to discharge our mandate.

We convened this press conference to update you on our last engagement with you on the spate of attacks against journalists, particularly the brutal assault on Class FM reporter, Mr. Samuel Addo, at Kasoa. This briefing also addresses new and equally disturbing incidents of attacks, threats and intimidation against journalists across the country.

UPDATE ON ATTACK ON CLASS FM JOURNALIST, SAMUEL ADDO

The GJA acknowledges and welcomes the statement by His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama on the interdiction of the Ghana National Fire Service officers involved in the assault on Mr. Samuel Addo. We thank the President for his swift intervention and for reassuring journalists and the Ghanaian public of his commitment to protecting media practitioners in the discharge of their constitutional duties.

While we note this important step, the GJA remains deeply concerned by the deafening silence of the leadership of the Ghana National Fire Service. To date, the Fire Service Administration has failed to publicly brief the nation on the status of its internal investigations into this shameful incident.

Accordingly, the GJA hereby entreats the Ghana National Fire Service Administration to come out publicly with the findings of its investigations, the specific actions taken against the officers involved and the institutional measures being put in place to prevent future attacks on journalists. Any further silence will be interpreted as complicity and an attempt to shield wrongdoing.

We also re-echo our demand for the removal of the PRO of the GNFS from the position because our interactions with him on the case shows that he is unfit to be in charge of communication for the Fire Service.

The GJA reiterates its call on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to thoroughly investigate and cause the prosecution of all personnel involved in this criminal act. We stress that internal disciplinary measures alone are insufficient. This is a criminal matter that must be tested in a court of law to serve as a clear deterrent.

ATTACK ON UTV AND PEACE FM JOURNALIST IN THE EASTERN REGION (KUKURANTUMI)

The GJA condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the violent assault on UTV and Peace FM Eastern Regional Correspondent, Mr. Michael Akrofi, by a police officer stationed at the Tafo–Kukurantumi Formed Police Unit (FPU) base in the Eastern Region on the 8^th of this month.

The journalist was lawfully covering a demonstration by farmers protesting against the destruction of their crops by Fulani herdsmen and their cattle when he was allegedly attacked from behind by the police officer. According to the incident report, the officer strangled the journalist on three separate occasions, causing severe pain and trauma. Even more disturbing, the officer is said to have threatened the journalist after the assault, compounding the gravity of the incident.

As a result of the attack, Mr. Akrofi complained of pains in the neck, back and waist and was compelled to seek medical attention at a health facility. The matter has since been formally reported to the Eastern Regional Police Command. However, as at the time of this press conference, no official response or feedback has been given to the victim, a situation the GJA finds unacceptable.

This act of brutality is barbaric, unprofessional and a gross abuse of power. It constitutes a direct attack on press freedom and the constitutional right of journalists to work without fear, intimidation or violence, especially during public interest assignments such as demonstrations.

The GJA therefore demands the immediate identification, arrest and prosecution of the police officer involved. We call on the Inspector-General of Police and the Eastern Regional Police Command to ensure that this matter is treated as a criminal offence and not merely an internal disciplinary issue. Acts of impunity by security officers against journalists must not be tolerated under any circumstances.

REPORT OF ASSAULT BY MILITARY PERSONNEL IN WALEWALE – NORTH EAST REGION

Colleagues another disturbing report we have received just was an unprovoked assault by military personnel on a journalist in Walewale in the North East Region.

The victim, Mr. Solomon Kwame Kanaluwe, a North East Regional Correspondent of Media General and Secretary of the GJA North East Region, was assaulted on Sunday, January 26, 2026, at about 3:00pm, while lawfully going about his private and professional life in Walewale.

According to the report submitted to the GJA, Mr. Kanaluwe had parked his motorcycle near a roadside store in town to purchase basic supplies when he was approached by a group of military personnel who were already present in the area. Without provocation, the soldiers questioned the ownership of his motorcycle and before he could adequately respond, subjected him to a physical assault.

Two of the military personnel allegedly beat the journalist on the back with sticks and canes approximately four times, claiming that he had parked at an unauthorised location. Even after Mr. Kanaluwe identified himself as a journalist, the assault reportedly continued, with the soldiers stating that they did not care about his profession. He was detained for a while and released after his phone was seized and some pictures and messages deleted from the phone.

This conduct is unacceptable, unlawful and deeply troubling. It reflects a dangerous disregard for the rights of civilians and journalists and undermines public confidence in the professionalism of the Ghana Armed Forces.

The GJA condemns this assault in the strongest terms and calls on the Military High Command to immediately investigate this incident, identify the personnel involved, and apply appropriate sanctions. We further demand that the matter be treated with the seriousness it deserves and that the victim is offered protection and support. Attacks on journalists by military personnel, whether in the line of duty or otherwise, are completely intolerable and must not be normalised under any circumstances.

Colleagues, it will be recalled that on July 30, 2025, Carlos Calony, a journalist with Multimedia Group’s JoyNews, was physically assaulted by armed individuals in military attire while covering a demolition exercise at the McDan Warehouse on the Spintex Road in Accra. It is quite unfortunate that the Military High Command has failed to act on the matter. With the latest attack in Walewale, the respected image of the military continues to be dented.

We urge the Military High Command to demonstrate the professionalism it is known for by acting swiftly on these two incidents.

THREATS AGAINST JOURNALISTS IN THE UPPER EAST REGION – BAWKU CONFLICT

BAWKU AS A WARNING ZONE FOR PRESS SAFETY

The Ghana Journalists Association is gravely alarmed by death threats, incitement to violence and imminent attacks against journalists in the Upper East Region, particularly the Upper East Regional Chairman of the GJA, Mr. Albert Sore, in connection with their professional coverage of the protracted Bawku conflict.

The Association considers these threats reckless, criminal and deeply dangerous, not only to the lives of journalists but also to public order and national security. Journalists covering the Bawku conflict have been openly labelled enemies, subjected to coordinated online abuse, and threatened with death through social media posts, voice notes and other forms of digital incitement. This deliberate targeting of journalists has created an atmosphere of fear and intimidation that could easily escalate into mob violence if not urgently addressed.

The GJA has received a detailed incident report from Mr. Albert Sore outlining how a professional journalistic engagement was maliciously distorted and weaponised by faceless and pseudonymous actors to incite hostility and issue explicit death threats against him and other journalists. Similar threats have previously been directed at other media practitioners covering the Bawku conflict, pointing to a disturbing and recurring pattern of intimidation aimed at silencing the media.

While the Association acknowledges the initial engagement and collaboration with the Upper East Regional Police Command, we remain concerned that the persistence of these threats suggests that existing measures are insufficient. The GJA therefore calls for sustained police protection for affected journalists, expedited investigations into all reported threats, and the identification, arrest and prosecution of all individuals and networks involved in issuing threats or inciting violence against journalists.

We further call on the Ghana Police Service to publicly reaffirm, in clear and unambiguous terms, that threats or attacks against journalists will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Any harm to a journalist in the course of duty, particularly where prior threats have been reported, would represent a grave failure of protection and accountability.

The National Executive has formerly petitioned the Inspector General of Police, IGP on threats against journalists in the Upper East region for his intervention.

The GJA reiterates that journalists are performing a constitutional duty in the national interest. Attempts to intimidate, silence or endanger them in the context of the Bawku conflict are unacceptable and must be confronted decisively by the state.

The Association formally designates the Bawku conflict area as an early warning zone for press safety, requiring heightened vigilance, proactive security deployment and continuous engagement with media practitioners on the ground. The GJA will not accept a reactive approach where action is only taken after harm has been done.

We therefore put the state on notice that any attack on a journalist in the Upper East Region, particularly where prior threats have been formally reported, will be treated as a direct failure of protection and will attract sustained national and international advocacy until accountability is secured. However, we reiterate our call for sustained protection, expedited investigations and the arrest and prosecution of all persons issuing threats or inciting violence against journalists.

COMMENDATION OF THE GHANA POLICE SERVICE

The GJA acknowledges the improved collaboration with the Ghana Police Service in recent times and commends the Police Administration for its engagement with the Association on journalists’ safety. We encourage the Police to deepen this cooperation and ensure that rogue officers who tarnish the image of the Service are decisively dealt with.

We must, however, hasten to add that the Tafo–Kukurantumi attack has dented this newly cordial relationship, and we urge the Police to act swiftly to provide further assurance of safety for journalists.

 NPP PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY AND SAFETY OF JOURNALISTS

The GJA reiterates its call on the leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to take full responsibility for the safety of journalists during its upcoming Presidential Primary to elect a flagbearer.

We urge the party to clearly and publicly caution its supporters against attacking, intimidating or obstructing journalists who will be deployed to cover the process. Political competition must never be allowed to degenerate into violence against the media.

The GJA will be actively monitor the entire election process through our regional structures across the country and we will not hesitate to name and shame any individual or group that assaults journalists in the course of this assignment.

GJA RED LINES – NON‑NEGOTIABLE STANDARDS FOR JOURNALIST SAFETY

In light of the escalating threats and attacks, the Ghana Journalists Association hereby sets out the following red lines, which must never be crossed under any circumstances:

1. No journalist must be assaulted, arrested, threatened or obstructed for performing lawful professional duties, whether by state security officers, political party supporters or private individuals.
2. No security agency is permitted to confiscate journalists’ equipment, delete content or demand permission for coverage of events of public interest.
3. No reported threat against a journalist must be ignored or treated casually. All threats must trigger immediate risk assessment, protection and investigation.
4. Internal disciplinary measures alone are unacceptable where criminal conduct against journalists has occurred. Such cases must be prosecuted in open court.
5. Silence by institutions after attacks on journalists is unacceptable and will be interpreted as tolerance for impunity.

The GJA will vigorously pursue accountability for any violation of these red lines and will not hesitate to escalate matters to national and international partners where necessary.

GJA’s DEMANDS

In light of the foregoing, the Ghana Journalists Association demands the following:

1. A public release of the investigation findings and sanctions by the Ghana National Fire Service. We are giving the Fire Service a 14-day ultimatum to act on this request, failing which we will take drastic measures against them, including blacklisting.
2. The immediate arrest and prosecution of the police officer involved in the Kukurantumi assault.
3. Adequate police protection for journalists under threat, particularly in the Upper East Region.
4. Clear directives from all security services prohibiting the assault, obstruction or intimidation of journalists.
5. Firm political party commitments to protect journalists during all political activities, including internal elections.
6. The immediate investigation, arrest and prosecution of the Military officers involved in the Walewale assault.

We will in the coming days come out with a firmer stance on the attacks after a high-level engagement with key stakeholders in the media.

We encourage all journalists across the country to be strong, fearless and unwavering in the discharge of their duties for mother Ghana.

 VIOLENCE IN OUR SOCIETY

Colleagues, the GJA unequivocally condemns the alarming and recurrent attacks on civilians by law enforcement agencies across the country. These acts of brutality, intimidation and excessive use of force represent a gross abuse of power and a flagrant violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed under the 1992 Constitution. It is deeply troubling that institutions entrusted with the protection of citizens are increasingly associated with fear, violence, and lawlessness. Such conduct not only endangers innocent lives but also erodes public confidence in the state’s ability and willingness to uphold justice, accountability and the rule of law.

The GJA is gravely concerned that violence in the Ghanaian society is fast getting out of hand, with law enforcement agencies repeatedly at the centre of these disturbing incidents. This dangerous trend must not be normalised. We therefore demand immediate and decisive action from the authorities to bring an end to this culture of impunity. Officers who engage in acts of violence against civilians must be promptly identified, interdicted and prosecuted without hesitation. Failure to act decisively will only embolden further abuses and fuel public resentment, deepen fear, mistrust, insecurity and weaken the democratic foundations of our country.

Quite recently, the President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, promised to arrange a meeting with the security chiefs and the executives of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) to help ease tensions between the media and the Security agencies. Mr. President, this is the right time for that important meeting, given the recent disturbing developments involving some security agencies.

The President is a member of the GJA and has consistently demonstrated his interest in the welfare of journalists throughout his political career. We therefore believe he will convene the meeting as soon as possible to help ease tensions.

CONCLUSION

Ladies and Gentlemen, let it be stated clearly and without equivocation: attacks on journalists are attacks on Ghana’s democracy and constitutional order. No institution, security agency or political actor has the moral or legal authority to brutalise, threaten or silence journalists for doing their work.

The Ghana Journalists Association will not be intimidated into silence, nor will we accept ritual condemnations followed by inaction. Where journalists are attacked, we demand justice. Where journalists are threatened, we demand protection. Where institutions fail to act, we will escalate locally and internationally until accountability is secured.

We remind all duty bearers that press freedom is not a privilege granted by the state, but a constitutional right guaranteed under the 1992 Constitution. The safety of journalists is therefore a test of the state’s commitment to democracy, rule of law and human rights.

The GJA remains resolute in defending the lives, rights and professional independence of journalists across Ghana. We will continue to monitor developments, speak truth to power and act decisively in the interest of journalists.

Long live press freedom.

Long live the Ghana Journalists Association.

Long live Ghana’s democracy.

Thank you.