Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)

In the last 5 months, around 133 broadcasters in Nigeria, Ghana and Guinea-Bissau have been taken off air, resulting from orders from authorities or due to non-payment of exorbitant license fees.

Angered by remarks made by a politician during an interview, the Kumasi Traditional Council in the Ashanti Region of Ghana has ordered Oyerepa FM to suspend its operations.

The growing precariousness of journalists comes at a time of increased freedom of expression and media rights violations across the region, which is forcing many journalists to self-censor or abandon the profession.

The Ada Traditional Council send a letter outlining restrictions on Radio Ada, banning it from covering the Asafotufiami Festival, over the station’s alleged utterances against the chief, and coverage of the salt industry.

The disturbing range of violations in Sierra Leone propels media stakeholders and government into drawing up the Comprehensive Framework on the Protection of Journalists.

13 Fellows from Ghana, Sierra Leone and Liberia have been selected for the 2022 Next Generation Investigative Journalism Fellowship programme.

A Nigerian judge presiding over a libel case has the journalist covering the proceedings detained, then imprisons the defense lawyer for 30 days for questioning such conduct.

Even though Liberia is one of the first countries in Africa to have passed RTI legislation, journalists are frustrated by the numerous challenges they face in accessing information held by public bodies.