The times are not normal as the Ghana of the 1980s is being re-enacted.
Whatever were the circumstances surrounding the demolition of a structure belonging to the McDan Group, journalists who were at the scene were only performing a duty of reporting an occurrence.
The assault on a Joy FM reporter and an eyewitness to the demolition has reset Ghana’s media freedom backwards. It hurts to recall the work done in past years to raise our standing on the press freedom index and how these efforts are being threatened.
The bar has been lowered, leading us to a point where news editors must watch out for the hospital bills which could accompany assignments they send their reporters on.
The assault on the reporter and the primitive order for the CEO of the company to kneel down was not only crude, it shows how low we have gone on civility.
Those soldiers had not been enlisted in the days of ‘eye kania eye haii’ yet their actions are reminiscent of those dark days of our history. Let them remember that those who took part in the murders of those days suffered for their deeds.
Today, thirteen journalists have reportedly suffered maltreatment at the hands of overzealous uniformed men in uniform in the past six months.
The assaulted Joy FM reporter could have died at the hands of his assaulters if he perhaps had some underlying health conditions. Who even knows whether he has not suffered some hidden injuries? Only a thorough health check can reveal this.
We shudder to think that the soldiers who meted out the punishment on the poor reporter were acting ‘on orders from above’.
Even when the reporter was rushed to the Blue Gate, den of the National Security apparatus, another order from above was said to have been issued for the release of the journalist. Such choreographed state ordered acts of terrorism against the media, if it is unfortunately intended to cow the media into submission, is rather unfortunate.
What did the soldiers or even officialdom find repulsive about reporting the demolition exercise if it was done in accordance with the law and not based on the dictates of someone who has an axe to grind with the businessman?
Power, in its absolute state, corrupts absolutely. Those who wield it must consider its transience and conduct themselves accordingly.
The pendulum of power or authority swings without hindrance and would continue to do so till eternity.
The rate at which journalists are being brutalised under this government is worrying. During the recent Ablekuma North Constituency election rerun, the now interdicted Adenta Divisional Commander assaulted a journalist in a brutish fashion, anomaly which was vividly captured on video and disseminated across social media thanks to technology. But for the dissemination, officialdom could have shielded him with the excuse of non-availability of evidence.
We have noticed a coordinated response from both the Presidency and the Military condemning and announcing an investigation into the incident so an appropriate action can be taken against the defaulters.
The foregone are mere routine responses when such occurrences and human rights abuses are committed, which soon fizzle out as are others before it.
We recall the announcement by the Interior Minister about an investigation into the Ablekuma North rerun incident and a subsequent so-called arrest of two suspects. The pictures of those who partook in the assault and chaotic scenes in the constituency were splashed across social media yet only two persons were allegedly arrested, news we can only take with a pinch of salt.
In the Government Spokesperson’s reaction to the McDan demolition incident, Felix Kwakye Ofosu created the impression that the assaulted journalist was not arrested when he referred to ‘an attempted arrest’. The journalist suffered double agony of being assaulted and arrested. To therefore state that there was an attempted arrest is a glaring attempt at dousing the seriousness of the subject.
Journalism, by this and subsequent ones to come, has effectively been criminalised. An assault on journalism is an assault on democracy, and those who choose to be indifferent to the unfolding breaches are not helping in the quest to build a better Ghana. Ghana deserves better.