GJA Supports Journalists on Coverage of 2020 Elections

Press releases for Monday, December 14, 2020

Source: Ghana Journalists Association

2020-12-14

The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) reiterates its unwavering, unwavering and irrevocable commitment to supporting all media professionals after the 2020 elections. This has been an election with increased tension, tremendous challenges and enormous risks involved. by shots that left two journalists seriously injured at the Ablekuma Central Collation Center in Accra. The GJA firmly believes that these life-threatening experiences, as well as the priceless sacrifice, sleepless nights, boundless energy, patriotic zeal, journalistic skills, editorial proficiency, analytical power, and projective acumen displayed by journalists and the houses of the media deserve full and not direct praise. condemnation.

In fact, prominent members of the two main political parties, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), have publicly applauded the media for the good work done in covering the elections. Shortly after the declaration of the presidential election results, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in a victory speech at his residence in Nima, said: “The praise of the nation goes to the media for the wide coverage provided before, during and after the polls were held ”. Similarly, NDC Secretary General Johnson Asiedu Nketia, at a press conference at NDC Headquarters in Accra following the results statement, said: “The media has followed us all the way down the line, taking our complaints and you reserve this scenario. ”These presentations by two NPP and NDC stalwarts vindicate our high praise from the media for a good job done.

It is true that there were some cases of imperfections in the coverage of the elections. But these imperfections did not and cannot obscure the fact that the mainstream media stood out, of which Ghanaians should be proud. More specifically, nothing justifies the verbal attacks, flagrant threats and cyberbullying perpetrated against certain journalists and the media for fulfilling their electoral duty and executing their constitutional mandate. The anti-media concoction that is bubbling in certain political circles is contrary to press freedom and dangerous to our democracy. This should stop immediately. We also demand that it is time for the conscientious and obedient citizens of this country to stand up and defend the media from any “bullet attacks” and “calls for bloodshed” directed at journalists.

The GJA encourages all journalists to carry out their professional work without fear and without intimidation. They must also inject the highest degree of circumspection into their work and do nothing to fan the flames of tension or fan the embers of violence.

Finally, the GJA calls on the media community to give their full support to movements to calm things down and lift the nation off the cliff it is on.

Ayeekooo once again to all Ghanaian journalists.

Affail Monney (president)