Ghana’s media landscape is on edge as the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) delivers a hard-hitting seven-day ultimatum to the Ghana Police Service and Armed Forces, demanding immediate action against the recent and rising attacks on journalists. They are demanding some action or face a nationwide media blackout on all police-related activities.
The stern warning follows yet another violent assault on journalists, this time during a demolition exercise at Spintex, Accra, where JoyNews reporter Carlos Carlony, his cameraman, and an eyewitness were allegedly beaten and detained by armed military officers while covering the event.
This latest incident has pushed the GJA to its breaking point, with GJA President Albert Kwabena Dwumfour declaring: “Enough is enough.”
The Pattern of Violence Against Journalists
The attack that happened recently at Spintex is just the latest in a disturbing trend of assaults on journalists in Ghana. Recent cases highlighted by the GJA include:
- Ablekuma North By-Election Assault (July 2025): A GHOne TV journalist was attacked while covering the parliamentary by-election.
- NPP Protest Clash (May 2025): Reporters covering a protest by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) over the detention of Bernard Antwi Boasiako (Chairman Wontumi) faced violence from security personnel.
- Ashanti Council of State Elections (February 2025): Journalists were physically assaulted during the chaotic voting process.
“These attacks are not isolated incidents; they are part of a worrying pattern of impunity against journalists,” Dwumfour said at a tense press conference in Accra on July 31.
GJA’s Ultimatum: “No Action, No Coverage”
The Ghana Journalists Association’s seven-day ultimatum comes with a clear warning: If the police and military fail to act, journalists across Ghana will impose a total media blackout on all police activities.
“If the Ghana Police Service fails to act decisively within the next 7 days, the GJA, in consultation with key stakeholders, will announce a nationwide media blackout,” Dwumfour declared.
This means:
- No coverage of police press briefings
- No interviews with police officials
- No reporting on police operations
“This is not a threat, it’s a necessary action to defend the integrity and safety of every Ghanaian journalist,” he stressed.
The GJA also directly challenged the military, demanding swift disciplinary action against the officers involved in the Spintex assault. Carlos Carlony, the journalist attacked, insists he was clearly identified as a reporter before being beaten and detained.
“The military should understand that failure to expose and sanction the perpetrators will have damning consequences,” Dwumfour warned. “We will embarrass them.”
In response, the Ghana Armed Forces has confirmed an internal investigation into what it calls “inappropriate conduct” by its personnel.
But the Ghana Journalists Association is not waiting. They’ve outlined a five-point retaliation plan if security agencies fail to act:
- Civil lawsuits against attackers.
- International pressure via the US, UK, Canada, and EU embassies for travel bans on abusive officers.
- Petitions to the UN, AU, ECOWAS, and UNESCO for global sanctions, including blacklisting from peacekeeping missions.
- Lobbying for internal disciplinary measures, blocking promotions for offenders.
- Continued media blackout until justice is served.
What Happens Next?
The GJA’s ultimatum has sparked heated debates:
- Media houses have largely backed the move, with some already preparing contingency plans.
- Civil society groups, including the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), have endorsed the protest.
- Police response? So far, silence, but insiders say high-level meetings are underway.
The clock is ticking. If the police service and military fail to respond by August 7, Ghana could witness an unprecedented media boycott, a move that would reshape the country’s media-security relations.
“We are not backing down,” Dwumfour vowed. “If they ignore us, they will face the consequences.”
What do you think? Should the media go ahead with the blackout? Or is there a better way to protect journalists?
