The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) are working on a proposal to submit to the Electoral Commission (EC), aimed at securing unrestricted media access to collation centers at all levels - constituency, regional, and national.
The move will ensure transparency and accountability in the electoral process, allowing journalists to effectively report on the proceedings to promote a free and fair democratic process.
The decision to present a proposal to the EC was reached at a meeting between the EC and the two associations on Wednesday, November 27, 2024.
The President of the GJA, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, announced this on behalf of the Media Coalition at a press conference held at the Ghana International Press Centre in Accra on Thursday, November 28,2024. The event was to update media practitioners on Election 2024 and recent developments in the media landscape.
“We have been inundated with calls from our rank and file over a decision by the Electoral Commission (EC) to restrict access to the media for the coverage of the elections, particularly at the various levels of the collation centres – constituency, regional and national” Mr Dwumfour stated.
The GJA President observed that “when this information came to our attention, we quickly reached out to the EC to protest against the decision. The EC subsequently issued a press statement, indicating that it would engage the GJA and GIBA to further discuss the matter.”
“In that engagement, we clearly stated our position – the EC must give unfettered access to the media at all the levels of voting and collation of ballots. The parties agreed that GJA and GIBA should present a proposal to the EC on the way forward, which we are working on now” Mr Dwumfour further revealed.
Transparency, accountability
The GJA President pointed out that “restricting access to the media will not be in the best interest of transparency, accountability and access to information which is always a major partnership essential for these elections.”
He explained that restricting the media will also “weaken the strong steps being taken to trample upon misinformation and disinformation, which phenomena are a major concern in this year’s elections.”
Mr Dwumfour indicated that restricted media houses may rely on sources of information that may not be wholesome, and that could compromise the integrity of the elections.
In essence, he said restricting access to the media will hurt, rather than help, the quest for credible media reportage of the elections and the eventual outcome of same.
Expectations
The GJA President stressed that the EC should provide and improve mechanisms to facilitate the work of the media at all levels of voting and collation of ballots. It reminded the EC that in its latest press statement, it indicated that “it is a listening body and we believe it will also hear us.”
He acknowledged the cordial relations between the GJA and the EC, stressing that “just this past Tuesday and Wednesday, the GJA, with the kind support of the EC, two zonal training workshops was organised for 80 journalists across the country with the view to equipping them with the requisite skills to ensure credible election reporting.”
Mr Dwumfour observed that the skills the journalists have acquired to work for the good of “Mother Ghana should not be restricted.”
Metro TV invasion
On the invasion of Metro TV by some armed policemen, the GJA President stated that the incident raises many critical questions.
“Why should the service of court order be done in such violent and chaotic manner? and Why should the bearers of the court order be so bent on serving it on live television programme and in such a violent manner?” he asked.
“Was there no other way far better to serve the court order? If dishonouring a court order amounts to contempt of court, why must anyone seek to break, harm and forcibly serve a court order? Why must gun-wielding policemen storm a media house where workers only wield microphones, just to serve a court order?” Mr Dwunfour further querried.
The GJA President wondered why such incident should be happening at a time “the deafening trumpet sounded by the Police Administration recently to provide protection for media houses during the elections is still echoing.”
“Why should policemen go and threaten the lives of media workers at Metro Tv? Are those armed policemen assigned to Metro Tv as liaison officers? These questions are meant to be food for thought to all of us” he added.
Other issues
The GJA President also condemned the invasion of Salt FM, a local radio station and described the incident as unfortunate.
“We call on the management of Salt FM to sanction the host and give him and other staff members proper and professional orientation” he advised.
Mr Dwumfour therefore cautioned media practitioners to avoid unsubstantiated and inflammatory comments that can spark tension, violence and breach of the peace.
He advised media practitioners not to give their platforms to political actors who may want to foment trouble saying “we should be professional at all times.”
On comments of Oheneba Asiedu, a programme host of Wontumi FM and his arrest by police, the GJA President condemned the host for making unguarded comments about voting in the December 7 elections.
He said the programme host had suggested that voting will take place for some presidential candidates on December 7, with other candidates having their turn at a different date after December 7 which was a reckless statement and must be condemned in no uncertain terms.
The GJA President said although the programme host, Asiedu made unfortunate statements, the GJA does not appreciate the police using the obnoxious Section 208 of the Criminal Offences Act 29 of 1960, to criminalise free speech.
“We believe the National Media Commission(NMC), as the regulator of the media industry, has the mandate to address such infractions through processes enshrined in the NMC Act, 1993 (Act 449) and other legal instruments of the Commission” he stated.
The GJA President called on the Judiciary not to give effect to “the wanton attack on freedom of expression and press freedom by the Police through the use of the two laws against the media. As a Coalition, we will take urgent steps to get the two laws repealed.”
Editors' meeting
Mr Dwumfour further pointed out that although the Police Administration failed to invite the Media Coalition to a meeting it had with some selected editors and senior colleagues at the Ghana Police Headquarters, on the upcoming elections, the coalition is privy to the issues discussed.
He therefore commended the police for making a promise at the meeting to provide police media liaison officers at media houses for protection and the assurance to give regular media briefings on the elections.
Mr Dwumfour however stated that the coalition has reservations about those promises because it raises many pertinent questions.
“First, is it a strategy to interfere with the work of the media? Is it a ploy to leak information from media houses? Which media houses have the Police enlisted to detail its media liaison officers to? We can see some dark clouds surrounding this initiative by the Police and answers to these questions will clear the sky” he revealed.
On the second promise made by the police, Mr Dwumfour stated that it will compromise accuracy and credible reporting especially when there are issues to be clarified outside the jurisdiction of the Police Central Communication.
“That may lead to misinformation and thus creating a trap to haul many journalists into police cells on a charge of publication of false news contrary to Section 208 of the Criminal Offences Act. We urge the Police Administration to review the communication policy of the Service in the interest of successful elections” he suggested.
