By Murtala Issah
The West Africa Editors Society (WAES) has called on journalists and media associations in Ghana to begin taking legal action against security personnel who assault media workers, citing what it describes as a worrying pattern of attacks on journalists by state security officers.
The call follows an alleged assault on Solomon Kanaluwe, the North East Regional Correspondent of Media General, who was reportedly detained and beaten by military personnel while carrying out his professional duties in Walewale. According to WAES, Mr Kanaluwe sustained multiple injuries during the incident.
The Society said the incident raises serious concerns about press freedom and the safety of journalists, particularly as previous cases involving attacks on media practitioners remain unresolved.
“Media associations and journalists must begin to sue persons, especially security personnel, who assault journalists. The seeming inaction of the authorities only emboldens perpetrators,” the Interim President of WAES, Emmanuel K. Dogbevi, said in a statement.
WAES noted that the incident is not isolated. In December, a journalist with the Class Media Group, Samuel Addo, was allegedly assaulted by officers of the Ghana National Fire Service in Kasoa. The Society said no decisive action has been taken in that case, and another journalist has now been attacked, this time by military personnel.
The editors’ body expressed dissatisfaction with how authorities have handled repeated reports of journalists being arrested, detained or assaulted by members of the police, fire service and military while performing their lawful duties.
“The primary responsibility of state security officers is to protect life and property and maintain public order. It is unacceptable that journalists are subjected to violence while working,” WAES said.
The Society warned that continued misconduct by security personnel could damage Ghana’s reputation as a country known for democratic governance and press freedom.
WAES has therefore urged authorities to urgently investigate all reported incidents, sanction officers found culpable and take concrete steps to prevent further abuses against journalists.
