Ghana

World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) presents a major opportunity for the government of Ghana to showcase Ghana’s democratic ideals to the world. It would therefore be extremely embarrassing for Ghana not to have in place a Right to Information (RTI) Law – one of the cardinal pieces of legislation that advances democracy and human rights.

The MFWA has petitioned the National Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay, over the brutal assault by the party’s security officers on journalists which occurred at the party’s National Headquarters in Accra, Ghana.

The Media Foundation for West Africa condemns the attack on four journalists and a driver by vigilantes of the New Patriotic Party in Accra, and wishes to call on the party’s leadership to ensure swift punishment for the perpetrators.

On 2 December 2017, thugs stormed Radio Justice’s studios in Tamale, Ghana, and assaulted a presenter and three panelists.

34 NGOs call on the government of Ghana to ensure its citizens’ right to access to information.

Thirty-four FM broadcasting stations have been shut down by the National Communications Authority (NCA), the Communications regulator and radio frequency licensing body in Ghana.

An Accra High Court has ordered the publishers of the Daily Post newspaper and its editor, Michael Dokosi, to pay an amount of GHC 800,000 (US$180,000) to a former Minister of State.

In recognition of his documentary that prompted action on the devastating maternal and child mortality situation in Ghana’s second largest medical facility, the MFWA has named Seth Kwame Boateng as the first winner of its Journalist of the Month series.

The Media Foundation for West Africa met with Ghana’s Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ms. Otiko Afisa Djaba at her office to discuss ways of promoting women’s rights online.

Freelance journalist Kendrick Ofei alleges he was attacked after filming soldiers who were beating a civilian behind Independence Square, in Accra, Ghana.

MFWA’s Felicia Anthonio discusses the fight by Ghanaian women to conquer jobs traditionally reserved for men.

Visually-impaired Ibrahim Tafali Lukuman did not know it, but turning the dial to one of his favourite radio shows would change his life one day.

In the lead up to Ghana’s elections, the MFWA is monitoring radio programmes to track the use of hate speech by politicians and activists.

This year, the MFWA will implement a special elections campaign dubbed “Issues Not Insults” under its project “Promoting Decent Language and Issues-based Campaigning for Peaceful Elections in Ghana in 2016.”

The president of Ghana has responded to a petition by the Media Foundation for West Africa and 155 Ghanaian journalists seeking disciplinary action against a senior presidential staffer, Stan Dogbe, following Dogbe’s attack on a journalist.

Journalists from over 40 media organisations across Ghana are calling on President John Dramani Mahama to demand sanctions against his staffer, Mr. Stan Dodge, who assaulted a Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) journalist nearly two months ago.