Members of the Brong-Ahafo Regional branch of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) have resolved to boycott all official functions of the Regional Co-ordinating Council and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) until further notice. The association said it would reverse its decision if the culprits in last Saturday's physical attack on journalists are arrested and brought to book. A number of reporters were allegedly beaten up by some NDC members and supporters at the B/A @ 50 awards ceremony in Sunyani, during which the ex-President Jerry John Rawlings and his wife, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings were the guests of honour. The association condemned the attack, saying it was unwarranted and should be condemned by all right-thinking Ghanaians. A press statement issued by the regional association said: "The GJA has noted that since the beginning of activities marking the B/A @ 50 celebrations the media in the region has been slighted by the organisers of the programme, but we have endured such ill-treatment." The statement was jointly signed by Mr. Ian Motey, Regional Chairman of the association and Mr. Larry Paa Kwesi Moses, Regional Secretary. It said the assault on Mr. Motey of the Ghanaian Times, Mr. Moses of TV Africa, Mr. Dennis Peprah of the Ghana News Agency, Mr. Akwasi Ampratwum-Mensah of Daily Graphic and Michael Boateng of the Chronicle was unwarranted and should be condemned. The statement said the attackers snatched two mobile phones and a wrist watch from Mr. Ampratwum-Mensah and Mr. Moses, whilst the wallet of Mr. Peprah, his reporter's notebook and that of Mr. Motey were also forcefully taken away. The GJA deemed the action as uncivilised and an affront to press freedom and the rights of the media in the performance of their legitimate duties as mandated by the 1992 constitution. The regional association expressed regret that none of the dignitaries at the function "restrained their members as they callously beat Mr. Dennis Peprah into pulp". The statement said the irate mob smashed the side screen of a taxi cab that wanted to whisk Mr. Peprah away. "What is even more worrisome was the mob attack on the press corps immediately after the programme." The statement alleged that the incident happened in the presence of the Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive, Mr. Kwasi Oppong Ababio, who refused to restrain the mob and retorted that: "You can't instruct me. The statement quoted him saying in Twi that: "Se mo anka nkwasia sem a enka ye be bo mo" (If you had not said stupid things they wouldn't beat you up.)" The association said a previous media report about the incident was inaccurate since the person who gave out the information, identified as an ice cream vendor was not at the scene. Source: GNA