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Come again, Ghana Armed Forces

For quite some time now, Ghana has been regarded as the bastion of press freedom on the African continent.

By the last count, according to the Reporters Without Borders Index, Ghana was ranked third in Africa, after Nigeria and Cape Verde, and 30th in the world, doing better even than the United States of America (USA) and other notable democracies.

The journey to the present free media landscape has not been without a struggle.

Once upon a time, there was only one broadcasting station and two state press houses in the country. Thanks to the Fourth Republican Constitution, no one requires a licence to operate a newspaper.

The only requirement for the establishment of a radio or television station is a frequency from the state because frequencies are state resources that must be managed to avoid a threat to national security.

Now it is not easy to count the number of daily newspapers on the newsstand and radio stations in the country.

Therefore, every day, from about 6 a.m. to 12 noon, many voices are heard on radio pontificating on the challenges of the economy, education, health, sanitation, rural development, among other concerns.

It has been accepted by Ghanaians that press freedom is an essential constituent of democracy. Our Constitution affirms that in Article 162 by stating that “freedom and independence of the media are hereby guaranteed”.

The degree of the freedom of expression is a function of how journalists are to carry out their duties. The moment journalists are hindered in their work, as happened at the Independence Square in Accra on March 6, this year when some soldiers assaulted two photographers of the Graphic Communications Group Limited and the New Times Corporation, then threats still exist against journalists and media practice.

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), by its report exonerating the soldiers of any wrongdoing, have incensed the journalism fraternity, with a section calling for a media boycott of activities of the GAF.

Several well-meaning individuals and institutions, such as the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), have condemned the actions of the soldiers and also rejected the report as going against the dictates of natural justice.

The Daily Graphic finds it very difficult to understand why the GAF conducted an investigation into the alleged assault without talking to the victims in an environment where everybody has signed onto the tenets of the rule of law as the best way to achieve law and order, instead of the state of nature.

We expect the GAF to re-examine its report and listen to the victims in order to have a balanced report.

The Daily Graphic regrets the series of assaults on journalists by personnel of the Ghana Police Service and the GAF, court officials, some members of the public and political party supporters as the media men discharged their legitimate duties.

Journalists have no power of arrest but rely on security operatives to protect them. But if security operatives decide to attack journalists, instead of protecting their rights, then the bond of collaboration between security personnel and journalists will be broken.

The Daily Graphic rejects the report from the GAF in toto and calls on the Military High Command to call those operatives who assaulted the photographers to order to send clear signals to all that the culture of impunity is unacceptable.

Nobody is above the law

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