The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has declared that the state will pursue individuals who attack journalists, regardless of their status and affiliation while underscoring the government’s unwavering commitment to protecting media freedom in the country.
According to him, President John Dramani Mahama’s administration remains dedicated to protecting media freedom.
He aobserved that a free and independent press remains the lifeblood of any thriving democracy.
Mr George made the declaration at a public forum organised by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) on the theme, “Ending Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists in Ghana: Strengthening Safety, Accountability and Press Freedom.”
The high-level event, which coincided with the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, also featured the official launch of the Model Safety of Journalists Policy, designed to provide media institutions with a practical framework for physical, digital, legal and psychological protection.
Speaking further on the subject, Mr George noted that the country climbed to 39th out of 180 countries in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index, up from 52nd the previous year, securing the fourth position in Africa.
He attributed the improvement to a deliberate governmental posture favouring “openness, engagement, and accountability” under the administration of President John Dramani Mahama.
However, the Minister acknowledged that challenges persist, pointing to recent reported incidents of assaults against media personnel.
He stressed that impunity creates an environment conducive to further attacks, asserting that accountability requires prompt reporting, impartial investigations, regular updates to victims and decisive prosecution where warranted.
“No uniform, no office, no party card and no private influence should place anyone above the law,” the Minister stated, reaffirming that the state will not tolerate violence against media professionals performing their public duties.
The Minister urged media owners, editors and journalists to uphold high ethical standards, enforce self-regulation, correct errors transparently and rigorously distinguish verified investigative reporting from unverified partisan claims.
The Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa, Mr Sulemana Braimah, underscored the urgency of addressing safety concerns within the West African sub-region.
He pointed to regional data showing a worrying rise in violations against media workers and stressed that fighting impunity is an essential prerequisite for safeguarding the public’s right to information.
Mr Braimah explained that the newly launched Model Safety Policy offers media organisations structured guidelines, including risk assessments, emergency protocols and designated safety officers, to better protect field reporters, correspondents and online journalists.
He also highlighted ongoing initiatives by the foundation, such as legal support funds and networks of media defence lawyers, aimed at assisting journalists facing legal intimidation or threats.
The forum ended with a renewed multi-stakeholder consensus involving the government, security agencies, civil society and media leadership to continuously monitor safety gaps, track ongoing investigations and ensure that press freedom in Ghana remains both proclaimed and robustly protected.
