The much anticipated African Union Summit took off at the Accra International Conference Centre with serious organizational hiccups. Hundreds of journalists were stranded at the summit grounds and cameramen had difficulties taking pictures. All media personnel were asked to go to the Media Centre to observe the ceremony carried live by Ghana’s national television – GTV. The National Security apparatus destroyed equipment belonging to BBC personnel and drove away people from a location they said was a security zone. The BBC was about 100 metres away from the gates of the main auditorium. Accredited local and international journalists were upset with the way they were being treated. The LCD giant screens which was mounted for them to observe the proceedings were going off intermittently. “We are protesting against unfair treatment to cover this ground debate. We have come here only to be told that for security reasons we are not allowed to come in,” says Janet Narh of Channel 148 of London. Over 150 journalists appended their signatures to a petition submitted to Ghana's Ministry of Information and National Orientation. “Come and sign the petition. We want to go in. If you do not sign it then it’s up to you,” Janet could be heard shouting on top of her voice to her colleagues at the media centre. Journalists resorted to their mobile phone radios and Close Circuit TVs at the media centre to cover the opening ceremony. The Government Spokesperson on Governance, Mr Frank Agyekum apologised to the media and promised the problem would be addressed. About 52 African Heads of States and Governments are attending the Summit.