Affail Monney – GJA President
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has charged the Inspector General of Police (IGP), David Asante-Apeatu and the Ghana Police Service to help arrest police personnel who assaulted Multimedia journalist, Latif Iddrisu.
At a press conference in Accra yesterday, the president of the association, Affail Monney called on the head of the Ghana Police Service to put measures in place to ensure the immediate arrest of the perpetrators of the malicious attack on the journalist.
He said the IGP, in a meeting with GJA some months ago, promised to promptly investigate the case and take appropriate action against those found guilty, including police officers.
Mr. Monney stated that “those bright lights have been dimmed significantly, because almost three months after the meeting with the Police administration, and four months after Latif had been assaulted, the police are yet to come out with the outcome of their investigations into the matter.”
Mr. Monney added that the GJA would appeal to President Akufo-Addo, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and other national and international bodies to seek justice for the young journalist.
He reiterated the commitment of GJA to building a healthy police-media relationship to foster national development.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, Ken Ashigbey, urged journalists to keenly follow assault cases involving their colleagues and come together to fight the negative developments in the media landscape.
He stated that the National Media Commission (NMC) must curb the numerous attacks on journalists in the country.
Mr. Ashigbey further pleaded with the leadership of GJA to institute a board of honour to acknowledge the hard work of assaulted journalists and another board to shame those who attack journalists.
Latif Iddrisu was brutalized in March, this year at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters where he had gone to report on the arrest of Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho, who made treasonable comments.
By Nii Adjei Mensahfio & Ebenezer Gyamerah