Executive Director, Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Sulemana Braimah has expressed concerns over the increasing risks faced by journalists under the current Akufo-Addo administration.

According to Braimah, the dangers have escalated to unprecedented levels compared to previous governments.

In an interview on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Mr Braimah revealed that under the Akufo-Addo administration, there have been over 70 incidents involving media rights violations, many of which have been obscured from public view.

He pointed out that while previous governments, including those of former Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor, the late John Evans Atta Mills, and John Dramani Mahama, also recorded incidents, the current government’s record is far more alarming.

“The reality is stark, especially when you consider the period from the era of Jerry John Rawlings to today,” Braimah stated. “The risks have increased, the indirect acts of repression have intensified, and the fear that journalists face in doing the kind of reporting that upholds the integrity of journalism has grown significantly.”

Mr Braimah acknowledged that while some of these challenges stem from governmental actions, other factors are rooted in the broader socio-political environment of the country. He emphasized the need to analyze the media landscape comprehensively, taking into account legal and regulatory frameworks, political conditions, media independence, professionalism, ownership, and, crucially, the safety of journalists.

Discussing the state of journalist safety in Ghana, Braimah pointed to the murder of investigative journalist Ahmed Suale on January 16, 2019, as the most egregious example in recent memory. He lamented the government’s apparent reluctance to fully investigate the case and bring those responsible to justice.

“Beyond this tragic case, we’ve been monitoring media rights violations for over a decade. Under President Kufuor, there were about 64 incidents over an eight-year period. This number slightly decreased to between 50 and 56 under the Atta Mills-Mahama administration,” Braimah noted. He added that the reduction was mirrored in global assessments, such as the Global Press Freedom Index and the Freedom of the Press Index by Freedom House, reflecting a pattern of improvement that has since reversed.

“One would have expected that as our democracy matured, incidents of press freedom violations would decrease. Unfortunately, that has not been the case,” he remarked.

Mr Braimah stressed that with just a few months remaining in President Akufo-Addo’s tenure, over 70 incidents have already been recorded—surpassing the numbers from previous administrations. “And it’s not just the quantity of incidents that is concerning; it’s the severity. For instance, in addition to Suale’s murder, we’ve seen cases where journalists like Ajarfor and his colleague were detained by National Security, blindfolded, and reportedly tortured. Their equipment, confiscated over four years ago, remains in government custody to this day.”

Read also : National Security denies torture allegation by ModernGhana Editor

He expressed deep concern over the impunity with which these violations are committed. “What is most troubling is that the perpetrators of these offenses often go unpunished,” Braimah said. “In such a climate, one would expect the government to take decisive action to deter such acts, yet this has not been the case.”

Mr Braimah concluded by stating that the fears expressed by journalists and media professionals are well-founded, given the tangible increase in risks under the current regime.

Also read : Ghana’s press freedom ranking: Are we actually improving?