Gov’t does not support harassment, intimidation of journalists – Kwakye Ofosu

Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Thursday said the Government does not condone the harassment or intimidation of journalists and strongly opposes such conduct.

“Let me indicate that, as a government, we have no policy that tolerates the harassment and intimidation of journalists. Sometimes, non-state actors, through overzealousness, may seek to manhandle journalists,” he said.

He noted that the Government considered the media an important partner in national development and acknowledged its role in promoting accountability and citizen engagement and, therefore, would not condone their intimidation.

Mr Kwakye Ofosu made the remarks at the Steering Committee meeting of the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) in Accra.

The two-day meeting brought together leaders of journalists’ associations and media organisations from across Africa to discuss press freedom, journalists’ safety and welfare, professional development, and emerging trends shaping the media landscape.

He reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to creating a safe and enabling environment for journalists to carry out their work freely and professionally.

Regular interaction between the Government and the media, he said, was essential to ensuring that the President Mahama-led Administration remained responsive to the concerns and aspirations of citizens.

The Minister, however, cautioned against the abuse of journalism and the right to free speech, emphasising that individuals who deliberately violated the law must be held accountable for their actions.

He explained that enforcing laws against persons whose speech or actions threatened public safety should not be misinterpreted as an attempt to suppress freedom of expression.

Mr Ofosu also called for a review of the role of the National Media Commission (NMC) to make it more responsive to contemporary developments within the media industry.

The Commission should function more effectively as an ombudsman, promoting professionalism and ensuring adherence to established ethical standards within the media landscape, he said.

The Minister indicated that any review of the NMC’s mandate should place greater emphasis on media content regulation and professional standards, while continuing to safeguard media freedom.

He disclosed that the Government was supporting the Ghana Journalists Association’s bid for Ghana to host the next conference of the Federation of African Journalists.

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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.