SoNA: Media freedom: Akufo-Addo has taken us 7years backward

United Press for Development Network (UPDN) has observed with keen interest, some unfortunate and misleading message by President Akufo-Addo which seems to suggest that media freedom is “expanded”.

In as much as we acknowledge some efforts by the current administration like the passage of the Right to Information bill into law, UPDN is extremely unsatisfied with the heightening of press intimidation, brutality, assaults and murder of Journalists in Ghana.

There is virtually zero commitment by Government to end the abuse of media practitioners, the injustice, undemocratic, primitive and lawlessness by political actors, security and state officials.

Investigative Journalists, reporters, presenters, writers and hosts are threatened, killed and less or nothing is done when cases are reported to the Police. As some journalists had to seek for asylum others were chased out of their houses. The level of impunity has worsened over the years and it is difficult to bring perpetrators to book.

What breaks our heart is the unfair nature of law enforcement to shutdown pro-opposition party media stations by the National Communication Authority (NCA) and establishment of several pro-government stations across the country. The development is a dangerous trend in our society.

Reporters Without Borders’s World Press Freedom Index (below) contradicts claims by government that Journalists practicing in Ghana are enjoying an expanded media freedom.

YEAR RANK

2013  30

2014  27

2015  22

2016 26

2017  26

2018 23

2019 27

2020  30

Rather, Ghana’s latest rank (2020) is comparatively our worse some seven years ago (2013).

A clear decline and retrogression.

We call on President Nana Addo to do more to curb the menace degrading our democratic credentials.

Kofi Asante Mensah

President

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