President John Dramani Mahama says attacks on journalists are unacceptable and will not be tolerated
President John Dramani Mahama has strongly condemned the recent incident involving the manhandling of some journalists by state security personnel.
“Such conduct is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. I have instructed that the incident be thoroughly investigated and that the officers involved be sanctioned accordingly,” he said.
President Mahama said that, as a card-bearing member of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), he would not preside over a government that abuses or intimidates journalists in the lawful exercise of their duty.
The President stated this in his remarks during the swearing-in of four new Deputy Ministers at the Presidency in Accra.
They include Dorcas Affo-Toffey, Deputy Minister of Transport; James Gyakye Quayson, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; Mohammed Adam Sukparu, Deputy Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations; and Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah, Deputy Minister for Health.
The President said: “A free and responsible press is indispensable to our democracy, and we must all work to protect the media.”
He said he would soon convene a meeting between the heads of the security services and the leadership of the GJA to plan a programme to orient our troops to recognise the media not as enemies but as partners in development.