Story: News Desk
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has expressed worry about the difficulties journalists face in obtaining information from the Ghana Police Service.
According to the President of GJA, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, the police are supposed to account to the citizens.
He added that the police’s lack of transparency of information on national issues was wrong.
“As a state institution, you can’t keep information to your chest. Like we are all condemning the NCA for not being transparent with ownership we still entreat the police to do better,” Mr Dwumfour stated.
The President who was speaking at the launch of the State of the Ghanaian Media report by the University of Ghana’s Department of Communication Studies said the situation must change.
He further pointed out the poor quality of the flow of information from the police in most of the regions in the country and demanded a reversal from the police.
“The police should change their style because especially when it comes to the regions and the community, information flow is not going down. If you think that information is not needed, why issue a one-leaf statement?
“If you think information flow is not good and you think that there’s no need, you don’t owe the media any information, why is it that whenever you start the case you issue a statement? Is a statement meant for the police or meant for the public,” he stressed.
He added that “the same public is asking that you change your style and start confronting your responsibility by letting the public know the work you are doing, the investigations you are doing on some national matters of national interest and all that.”
Mr Dwumfour’s assertions follow a recent concern in regard to the police’s refusal to give out information to the media.
JoyNews’ sources indicated that the situation if not resolved could fuel speculation and misinformation.
Sources also say that the decision by the police not to give out information is affecting the work of the media in the relay of information to the Ghanaian populace.