As the fourth arm of government, the 1992 constitution of Ghana clearly guarantees and spells out freedom and independence of the media.
The constitution goes on to emphasise that there shall be no censorship in Ghana and there shall be no impediments to the establishment of private press or media; and in particular, there shall be no law requiring any person to obtain a licence as a prerequisite to the establishment or operation of a newspaper, journal or other media for mass communication or information.
The constitution further states that editors and publishers of newspapers and other institutions of the mass media shall not be subject to control or interference by government, not shall they be penalized or harassed for their editorial opinions and views, or the content of their publications.
It is in this wise that, Today expresses antipathy and condemns outright the arrest and detention of Dauda Mohammed, a news reporter from the Insight newspaper, a privately owned newspaper in Accra, who was on official assignment to take pictures of the controversial Adijrigano residence of Ex-President Jerry John Rawlings for publication.
Dauda Mohammed was said to have been kidnapped on Monday afternoon by unknown men at ex-president Rawlings’ residence after he took pictures of the building for publication.
This journalist, accompanied by his other colleague, had gone there to do a follow-up story on the homeless state of the former first family, the Rawlingses (ex-President Rawlings’ family).
We have had similar instances in the past that were not addressed by the powers that be and this paper is concerned that this one should be critically looked at because journalists have the constitutional backing to do their work and the constitution also guarantees freedom of movement.
We have seen and heard about journalists who have been killed in other countries for the simple reason that they are performing their watch-dog role.
Journalists should therefore not be subjected to inhumane treatments like these as they work in the line of their duties. In doing so, journalists must work in a free and democratic world such that they can operate without fear or favour.
The paper therefore charges members of Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), non-governmental organisations and civil society groups that champion the welfare and cause of journalists to come out in their numbers to speak against this action.
While urging organisations to condemn this show of bravado exhibited by the security detail at Ex-President Rawlings’ Adijrigano residence, it is also prudent that journalists observe rules and regulations governing the invasion of people’s privacy.
We at Today therefore think that it is imperative for journalists, eventhough they have the rights to hound for information to also ask for official permissions before embarking on assignments of security interest.
The actions of the security men was just uncalled for and from all indication was a lethal attack on the ever vibrant nature of the Ghanaian media and should not be entertained or encouraged.
