Journalists safer in Ghana today – Pius Hadzide

Deputy Minister for Information, Pius Enam Hadzide has refuted claims by some journalists and concerned citizens that press freedom is on the decline in the country and that journalists are working in a rather unsafe environment.

Today’s environment, the Deputy Minister argues, has been made safer and easier with the passage of the Right to Information (RTI) bill which seeks to give journalists the right to access information.

A number of journalists have in recent time made accusations of some form of abuse since Akufo-Addo- led government. Though these attacks are in no way directly related to government, some are of the view that government needs to do more to protect journalists in the country.

Government after reviewing the concerns thus put together a forum to discuss the framework on safe and responsible journalism in Ghana.

Pius Hadzide in an interview with The Ghana Report on the sidelines of the first ever forum to discuss ways of ensuring a safe environment for the practice of journalism said government was working on a framework to deal with issues relating to the protection of journalists.

“The committee is to arbitrate between the several actors within the media operational space to keep tab on the issue of education of stakeholders including the media themselves and the general public and also dealing with intervention to ensure protection of journalists.”

He observed responsible journalism is a collective responsibility and urged all to play their respective roles in ensuring journalists conduct their business in a conducive environment.

Some two Ghanaian journalists working for online portal, ‘Modern Ghana’ were allegedly picked up and detained by operatives of the National Security over allegations of cybercrime. The claims of torture made by one of the reporters has however been contradicted by his colleague, Emmanuel Biritwum who insists they were never tortured. A police report also suggests the two were never tortured and may have only endured mosquito bites while in the custody of the National Security Secretariat. These developments notwithstanding, government has begun an enquiry into the situation.

“We will have to look at this issue and be well abreast with the facts of each case and not generalize it,” he remarked.