The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has called on the Ghana Police Service to provide detailed report and investigations on attacks against journalists in the past 7 months.
A journalist with the EIB network was assaulted by a police officer during the Ablekuma North rerun on Friday, July 11 2025.
Following reports of the assault, the police interdicted the officer involved and he was charged accordingly.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Thursday, July 31, President of GJA, Albert Dwumfour demanded that the police release the identity of some police officers involved in attacks on journalists.
The GJA President also vowed to announce a nationwide media blackout of all activities of the police if it fails to take action on reported assaults against journalists.
“If the Ghana Police Service fails to act decisively within the next 7 days, the GJA in consultation with key stakeholders will announce a nationwide media blackout of all police activities. We will instruct our members to withhold coverage of police events, refuse participation in police press briefings, and suspend all forms of editorial engagement involving the police.
“This is not a threat it is a necessary action to defend the dignity and safety of every Ghanaian journalist,” Albert Dwumfour declared.
According to the GJA, the police must provide detailed information on court proceedings and arrest of the officer and others involved.
“We acknowledge the recent publication by the Ghana Police Service indicating that the Officer involved has been charged.
“While this is a welcoming step, the GJA insists that charging alone is not justice. Justice must be seen to be done through a swift, transparent and fair prosecution that results in meaningful accountability.
“We urge the police to come out publicly on the identity of the two suspects they claim they arrested and give detailed information of their arrest as we have stated in the GJA request letter sent to them last week,” Albert Dwumfour noted.
“Like I mentioned, till date the charged police officer has not been arraigned before court and so let’s ask ourselves is the police being sincere and honest to us,” he added.
The GJA has since made the following demands;
- A detailed update on the status of investigations into all reported attacks against journalists across the country within the past seven months.
- A public report on the prosecution of the police officer involved in the Ablekuma North incident including timelines and court proceedings.
- Clear disciplinary actions and sanctions against officers or individuals who have assaulted journalists whether in uniform or civilian attire.
- Specific measures the police service is putting in place to prevent future attack and to train officers to respect media freedom.
- The police should do the needful by writing or responding to our formal request.
The Association stated that these demands must be met within seven days from the press conference.
The GJA stressed that failure to meet their demands will leave them with no option than “to advice all media houses across the country and our members to boycott all police related activities and declare them as enemies of press freedom.”
