Journalists Sanctuary International has donated protective gear to Ghana’s state broadcaster, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation.

The donation forms part of JSI’s annual donation of Personal Protective Equipment and whistle-stop advocacy at selected media outlets in Ghana.

The exercise is targeted at creating a more secure and conducive environment for the media to fulfill their critical role in informing the public, promoting transparency, and ultimately safeguarding the integrity of Ghana's democratic processes in Ghana, and democracies worldwide.

Items donated include a box of pepper spray, bulletproof vests, and military standard tactical helmets.

Presenting the protective gear to the state broadcaster, Chairperson of Journalists Sanctuary International Professor Audrey Gadzekpo urged news organisations to take the safety of their journalists seriously.

‘’Sometimes journalists in line of duty get attacked like Latif was. We’re seeing the war in Israel and Gaza and one of the things we’ve realize with this war is that it’s been very deadly for journalists. There is therefore the need to prioritize the safety of journalists in our newsrooms’’

Founder and president of the organization Latif Iddrisu whose unfortunate experience with some officers of the Ghana Police Service motivated the establishment of JSI, highlighted the difference protective gear could make in the event a journalist comes under attack.

"Our research unveiled that not a single newsroom in Ghana had protective gear for their frontline reporters who go to conflict zones and also report on demonstrations and other volatile stories. We encourage newsrooms to take up the safety of their Reporters seriously. Once the journalist feels he’s protected, he gets confident and doesn’t look over his shoulders to find out if somebody is coming after him or not because even if they hit you, you have a cushioning on your head, and you also have your pepper spray. If you feel you’re under attack, you could use it and you are good to go," he said.

The items according to Latif Iddrisu, is to help mitigate and reduce the level of threats to journalists’ safety

‘’The tactical helmets will in the event a journalists is physically attacked, reduce the impact of the attack, which will in turn reduce the psychological harm and the trauma the journalist would have to live with’’.

Receiving the protective gear, veteran broadcaster and Head of the GTV news channel and GBC news Akushika Acquaye recounted how some of their reporters were attacked in the recently held internal elections of the governing New Patriotic Party and how the protective gear could have either prevented the attacks or minimized the impact of the attack on the victims.

‘’We thank Journalists Sanctuary International so much. It couldn’t have come at a better time especially as we prepare to enter the electioneering period. In the recently held elections (NPP presidential primaries), some of our reporters were attacked. I believe if they had this protective gear on the story would have been different. We promise to put it (PPEs) to good use’’ Akushika Acquaye said.

Journalists Sanctuary will in the coming days replicate the advocacy and donation exercise in the largest city in Tanzania, Dar es Salaam. The East African nation is also gearing up for an important election in 2024.

Other members of the organization who joined the exercise are Gershon Kwamigah, Events lead, Samira Larbie, the Advocacy and Communication Director,  and Adama Fuseini, a volunteer.

The donation is entirely sponsored by Latif Iddrisu, founder and president of Journalists Sanctuary International.