The Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) has reiterated its commitment to putting an end to attacks against journalists by collaborating with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to launch a support fund that caters to journalists who are assaulted in their line of duty.
Speaking at the launch of the fund, the President of the GJA, Albert Kwabena Dwumfuor, listed ways the fund would benefit journalists in the country.
“We cannot sit back and play the ostrich as an organization that prioritizes the welfare and safety of Journalists. In light of this, under the [Albert] Dwumfour administration which is a legacy regime, the Ghana Journalists Association is taking the bold step of launching the Journalists Support Fund to address this phenomenon [of attacking Journalists with impunity]. We believe that establishing the Fund will go a long way toward assisting Journalists who are attacked by covering their medical and legal expenses.”
In the past years, some journalists in the country suffered severe attacks in the course of their work, with assailants not often apprehended in some instances.
Ghana slipped 30 places in the 2022 World Press Freedom Index from 30th to 60th out of 180 countries over a single year.
Mr. Dwumfour expressed worry over the prevailing spate of attacks on Journalists in their line of duty, which he attributed to years of impunity.
“Journalists face many challenges in the course of their work, sometimes these challenges may result in physical or psychological, or emotional harm to them. The current support regime for members who may suffer such harm is weak, hence the Journalist Support Fund.”
Most recently, journalists have faced a spate of violent attacks throughout the country, many from major political party supporters. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) recorded 14 cases of abuse of journalists, including five arrests, since the beginning of 2022 alone.
The GJA president intimated that the setting up of the Fund intends to create a welfare and safe system of duty for Journalists.
“One of the key objectives of the Fund is to offer legal services to Journalists whose rights may be violated in the line of duty.”
“The era when Journalists were assaulted but do not get justice due to lack of funds to pursue legal action will soon become history,” he assured.