By: Ashiadey Dotse
President John Dramani Mahama has stated clearly that he will not lead a government that mistreats or threatens journalists who are carrying out their lawful duties.
He said his administration is committed to upholding press freedom and protecting media professionals from any form of abuse or intimidation.
”I will not preside over a government that abuses or intimidates journalists in the lawful exercise of their duty. A free and responsible press is indispensable to our democracy, and we must all work to protect the media” he said.
Speaking during the sworing-in of Deputy Ministers at the Jubilee House on Thursday, July 31, 2025, President Mahama strongly condemned the act. He described the behavior of the officers involved as unacceptable and said it goes against the values of a democratic society.
”Allow me to condemn in the strongest stance the recent incident involving the manhandling of some journalists by our security personnel. Such conduct is unacceptable and will not be tolerated” he stated.
The President revealed that he has ordered a full investigation into the incident and assured that the security officers found responsible will be punished.
President Mahama, who is a registered member of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), stressed that the media is not the enemy of the state. According to him, a free and responsible press is essential for the growth of democracy and national development.
To prevent future attacks, he announced plans to hold a meeting between the leadership of Ghana’s security services and the Ghana Journalist Association, GJA.
The meeting will focus on finding ways to educate security officers on how to work with the media respectfully and professionally.
