Story: Reuben Sackey 

President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, says the association will actively combat attacks on journalists in the coming year.

According to him, there has been a rise in attacks on journalists and media houses.

Speaking at the GJA Annual Dinner Night on Thursday, December 21, Mr Dwumfour emphasised that the GJA was  committed to fighting back fearlessly if any journalist or media house faces an attack.

This, he explained, would be executed by deploying their strongest weapons, including but not limited to taking legal actions, laying down their pens and microphones, and calling for a blackout on entities that attack media practitioners or institutions.

He, therefore, urged institutions that prioritise the country’s democracy and security to assist in addressing the impunity against the media.

While condemning attacks against the media, he urged media practitioners and institutions to be very professional in the discharge of their duties.

“The GJA does not and will not condone unprofessional conduct. We will not shield or provide cover for deviations from professionalism. We will soon roll out a monitoring mechanism based on which we shall call out media practitioners and institutions that lower the bar of professionalism,” he said.

Mr Dwumfour emphasised that the GJA would  set up a media monitoring team in 2024 for sanity to prevail in the media space.

He further stated that the GJA’s ethics and disciplinary council are deliberating on a petition submitted by the Chief of the Defence Staff against a media house, and expressed the belief that the right thing will be done. “This shows that we are ready to be fair to everybody and not only to protect the interests of journalists,” the GJA President said.”