The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare has assured that the Ghana Police Service will intensify efforts to protect journalists, especially during the upcoming election period.

According to him, proactive measures are being taken to ensure the safety of media professionals in Ghana.

“There are many instances where we have dealt with individual journalists and media houses regarding the threats they face. We have proactively provided them with security, systems, advice, monitoring, and support to ensure their safety and comfort.

“This approach has been effective, and we will continue to do this. During the election period, we will offer support to journalists at both individual and institutional levels, providing one-on-one assistance to make them feel at ease while doing their work,” he said.

He gave this assurance at the JoyNews National Dialogue on Defending Media Freedom on Thursday.

Dr. Dampare also emphasised that the police will provide on-site security for media houses at strategic locations during special events, both leading up to and beyond the election period.

“We have already started discussions with many media outlets to ensure we have on-site security for them. This will include advising them and stationing police officers at these locations to make sure journalists feel safe and comfortable in their work environment,” he explained.

He assured that these measures are proactive, aimed at being preventive rather than reactive, to maintain a low-risk environment for journalists.

“We are not at a high-risk level, but we want to be proactive to make sure this year’s election, in terms of security, will stand out. We aim to continue being trailblazers in demonstrating how to ensure security and press freedom in Africa,” he added.

The assurances by the police boss come in handy as the nation continues to record poor ratings in the global media freedom index.

Read also: Ghana’s press freedom ranking: Are we actually improving?