Ghana’s ‘precipitous’ drop on World Press Freedom Index “depressing” – GJA
“a drop in ranking had been anticipated due to a confluence of anti-media factors. But never did we expect the drop to be so precipitous- 3rd in Africa to 10th, and 30th in the world to 60th, a 100 per cent decline. We watched with shudder and heard with shiver, merciless arrests and reckless attacks and animalistic disregard for the rights of a number of journalists in the line of duty.
The President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Affail Monney has described as depressing, Ghana’s recent performance on the world press freedom index.
According to him, events in the country, particularly the wanton attacks on journalists by the powers that be, lend credence to the country’s current position in the eyes of the world.
Ghana slumped to its lowest-ever ranking in close to two decades after it dropped 30 places to the 60th position in the latest press freedom index released by Reporters Without Borders making it the worst-ever ranking in close to two decades.
Speaking at a commemorative event to mark World Press Freedom Day in Accra, today, Wednesday, 4 May 2022, Dr Affail Monney said “a drop in ranking had been anticipated due to a confluence of anti-media factors. But never did we expect the drop to be so precipitous- 3rd in Africa to 10th, and 30th in the world to 60th, a 100 per cent decline. We watched with shudder and heard with shiver, merciless arrests and reckless attacks and animalistic disregard for the rights of a number of journalists in the line of duty. The deterministic outcome has been a sharp deterioration of the safety of journalists. Death threats rained on investigative journalists also went uninvestigated, let alone punished, while law enforcement officers who were supposed to protect journalists rather brutalized them.”
He also called on the Ghana Police Service to ensure it addresses the situation squarely by applying the law fairly at all times irrespective of who is involved in such heinous crimes.
“Three years on the spin, the assassination of Ahmed Suale of Tiger Eye fame in the most heinous of circumstances has been a stain on Ghana’s reputation as a land of freedom and justice, a citadel of media freedom and a beacon of democratic accomplishment in Africa. Assurance upon assurance of arresting the perpetrators has remained hollow rhetoric.”
“Soon after his appointment last year, we received with hope the announcement by the IGP Dr George Akuffo Dampare that a special unit had been established by the police to handle all such unresolved cases of brutalities against journalists. That hope is wobbling.”
