Hamza Suhuyini, a member of the NDC Communications Team has said the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) is not doing much to ensure the safety of journalists in their line of duty.
He believes the GJA is “sleeping” on the issue of assaults against journalists by security institutions.
According to him, the GJA has resorted to issuing just press statements when there are assaults against journalists without taking further effective action.
“It appears that the professional body intended to champion the interest of journalists themselves are sleeping on this important matter [assaults against journalists]. They only issue statements,” he stated in an interview on TV3 New Day’s The Big Issue, Tuesday, January 27 2026.
“You guys have the power to shut the entirety of this nation down to demand accountability when it comes to the work of the security institution,” he urged the GJA to demand accountability from institutions impeding the work of journalists.
His statement follows the assault on the North East Regional correspondent of Media General by personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces stationed in Walewale.
Solomon Kwame Kanawule was assaulted for recording an exercise the soldiers were undertaking in the town.
He reported that the soldiers were on an operation unknown to the Municipal Security Coordinator who is also the Municipal Chief Executive.
Reports indicate that the Municipal Chief Executive subsequently ordered a roadblock and demanded an explanation.
The soldiers however failed to explain their action. Upon realising that Solomon was filming the altercation, the soldiers got infuriated, seized his phone and subjected him to severe beatings.
Two of the soldiers used sticks and whips to inflict harm on his back while accusing the reporter of parking his motorbike at an unauthorized area.
His disclosure that he is a journalist did not prevent the soldiers from continuing their assault.
Hamza Suhuyini stressed that the demand for accountability for assaults against journalists solely lies on the professional body charged with the interest of journalists to ensure that justice is served.
“And how do you do that? A decision by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) to say that all media houses in this country are not going to operate within one week until we find those officers behind this unfortunate brutality against not just a journalist but a citizen of Ghana. Nobody will do it for you.
“And so there is the need for you to also begin demanding accountability not just from these security agencies and from government but your own organization that has the power to act,” he added.
He continued: “You also have the National Media Commission, invoke the powers of the National Media Commission to ensure that not just the Ghana military any other institution that is deemed to be engaging in act that threatens the safety of your work force. Nobody is going to do it for you.”
