The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has condemned the “barbaric attack” on United Television (UTV) last Saturday night and called for the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators.
About 30 hooligans, some of whom introduced themselves as constituency youth organisers of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) reportedly invaded the studios of UTV during the live broadcast of the “United Showbiz” entertainment programme. They allegedly assaulted the Director of Photography and one of the producers of the programme and left the hostess, other staff of the station and invited guests traumatized.
The GJA said in a statement that the attack was “a medieval act” and “a flagrant violation of the fundamental right to freedom of expression and the media.”
It called on the Ghana Police Service to immediately arrest and prosecute the perpetrators, just as they did in the case of the attack on Dagbon FM in Tamale in May this year.
The GJA also called on the government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), civil society organizations (CSOs), the diplomatic community, international agencies and all well-meaning Ghanaians to roundly condemn the attack.
The GJA said that the media in Ghana had survived all forms of clampdown in the past, even under dictatorial regimes, and that they would never be intimidated or silenced by any form of attack.
The GJA also expressed disappointment in the statement issued by the Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, on the incident. The Minister’s statement, the GJA said, was in sharp contrast to the statement he issued in May this year condemning the attack on a radio presenter on Dagbon FM in Tamale.
The GJA called on the media to be bold and never be intimidated by such acts of hooliganism, and to act professionally at all times in the discharge of their duties.
