Govt responds to journalists' safety, CLOGSAG strike threat, debt payment

The Minister of State for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has assured journalists that the government will not tolerate any actions that violate their rights.

He said President John Mahama, who values press freedom, has maintained a strong relationship with the media throughout his career and will, therefore, always champion the safety of journalists.

"He is a member of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and has always welcomed open engagement with journalists, even when criticised," the minister said.

Mr Kwakye Ofosu, who gave the assurance at a press briefing at the presidency in Accra yesterday, said the government would engage the GJA in a meeting scheduled for next week to discuss concerns raised over the safety and freedom of the media fraternity.

The minister’s assurance was in response to an appeal made by the GJA President, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, to President Mahama to take personal interest in cases of attacks against journalists in the country.

He was speaking at a press conference last Tuesday, where he gave an update on recent incidents of assault against some journalists and other matters of concern, including the murder of Ahmed Suale.

In response to the issues raised by the GJA, Mr Kwakye Ofosu explained that incidents involving private individuals should be treated as law enforcement matters.

Incidents

The minister cited the case of Erastus Asare Donkor, a reporter of the Multimedia Group, who was allegedly attacked by illegal miners while reporting on their activities as a clear case of individuals breaking the law who had no links to the government.

“These were people already breaking the law. Their actions must be dealt with as criminal offences,” he said.

The minister also addressed reported cases of assault on some journalists during the Ashanti Regional Council of State election on February 11, 2025, in Kumasi and said those actions had no direct correlation with the government.

“If individuals attack journalists at a public event, that is a breakdown of law and order, not a directive from the government,” he said.

CLOGSAG strike

On the issue of the Civil and Local Government Staff Association, Ghana (CLOGSAG’s) threat to embark on a nationwide strike over the appointment of Samuel Adom

Botchway as the Registrar of Births and Deaths, Mr Kwakye Ofosu explained that the laws governing that entity clearly specified who should make the appointment of a Registrar. 

“It states that it is the President, and the President has acted in line with the 1992 Constitution,” he said.

The minister also explained that Section 236 of the Constitution stipulates that, in appointing a person as the registrar, the President must consider the relevant academic qualifications, experience and knowledge of that person in civil service administration.

“The Registrar shall hold office on the terms and conditions specified in the letter of appointment,” Mr Kwakye Ofosu added.

He said while CLOGSAG had not questioned Mr Adom Botchway’s competence for the position, “they only claim that he is politically exposed. However, I have just read the law to you, and there is no stipulation that the position must be occupied by a civil servant”.

“Mr Adom Botchway is a highly experienced public servant who previously served as a district chief executive under President John Atta Mills's administration and has many years of public service experience and the required academic qualifications to hold this position,” the minister added.

Sinking Fund

Mr Kwakye Ofosu also disputed claims by the previous NPP government that it built debt buffers to aid in the fourth DDEP coupon payments.

This comes after former Finance Minister Mohammed Amin Adam said on Facebook that the erstwhile government created buffers in the Debt Service Reserves Accounts to support upcoming debt service obligations.

The balance in the Debt Service Reserve Account when the NDC took office, was only GH¢ 155,463,435 million, which was insufficient to cover the GH¢6.081 billion fourth coupon payment to all DDEP bondholders, the minister said.

He said that the last transaction in the account under the NPP was on January 2, 2025, with a balance of GH¢155,463,435, which he described as a far cry from the GH¢15 billion needed to settle the debt obligations.

Mr Kwakye Ofosu further noted that the government had deposited GH¢9.7 billion into the Debt Service Recovery Cedi Account (Sinking Fund) as a buffer for the fifth DDEP coupon, in addition to the GH¢6.081 billion used to settle the fourth coupon payment.

As of February 18, 2025, he said the balance in the account stood at GH¢ 9,270,537,727.67, which will serve as a buffer against debt service obligations in July and August this year.