The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) has strongly condemned recent attacks on two journalists who were covering the ongoing limited voter registration exercise in Ablekuma North, Ghana.
The journalists—Seth Kofi Adjei of Joy News and Emmanuel Agyemang of Angel FM—were assaulted on July 13 by alleged political party thugs while reporting from the Electoral Commission’s registration centre. According to reports, the journalists were filming disturbances at the centre when they were attacked, leading to physical injuries and damage to their equipment.
In a statement released Monday, CJID described the attacks as “cowardly and unacceptable,” calling them a blatant infringement on press freedom and the rights of journalists to carry out their constitutional duties.
“Journalists are not enemies; they are essential pillars of our democracy whose work ensures transparency and accountability,” the organisation said. “Targeting them for doing their job is an affront to press freedom and undermines the credibility of Ghana’s electoral process.”
CJID urged Ghanaian authorities, particularly the Ghana Police Service, to swiftly investigate the incident and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice. The organisation also appealed to political parties and their supporters to respect the role of journalists and desist from acts of intimidation or violence.
The attacks come amid increasing concerns about journalist safety and press freedom in Ghana, particularly during politically sensitive events like voter registration and elections.
CJID reiterated its commitment to standing with journalists in Ghana and across West Africa, stressing the need for stronger protections and accountability mechanisms to safeguard media practitioners in the line of duty.
