“Journalists are not enemies of the state” – GJA President urges protection

In a call for the protection of Ghana's press freedom, the President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Albert Dwumfour, urged authorities and stakeholders to safeguard journalists. Dwumfour emphasized that journalists should not be considered adversaries of the state, asserting that the Association has documented over 50 cases of attacks, arrests, and harassment against media practitioners between 2022 and January 2026.

Speaking at the 30th GJA Media Awards in Accra, he cautioned that Ghana's improved global press freedom ranking should not overshadow the challenges journalists confront in doing their jobs. Dwumfour stressed that press freedom must be evaluated based on journalists' ability to scrutinize authorities, report without fear, and hold powerful institutions accountable.

He emphasized that true press freedom is not solely determined by a country's international ranking, but by whether journalists can investigate corruption, question public officials, report on security operations, and hold powerful institutions accountable without intimidation or fear. Dwumfour called for concerted efforts to address issues affecting media practitioners, including threats to their safety, financial instability, media independence, and professional development.

He assured the GJA's commitment to preserving the progress made in press freedom while addressing the persistent challenges. Despite Ghana's move up from 52nd to 39th place in the 2025 and 2026 World Press Freedom Index rankings, the GJA highlighted the need for stronger safeguards to protect journalists and maintain media independence based on over 50 reported incidents of attacks, arrests, and harassment.