President John Dramani Mahama has underscored the need to put in place measures that ensure a safer environment for journalists in the country.
Addressing members of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) during a courtesy call at the Jubilee House on Friday, September 5, 2025, the President expressed concern over the rising cases of assaults against journalists.
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According to him, these issues continues to persist due to the lack of legal sanctions against perpetrators.
He also attributed the country’s decline in global rankings to issues related to assaults on journalists, including the murder of investigative journalist Ahmed Suale.
“… We’ve seen a consistent decline in our international rankings, and that is an issue of concern for us. And part of it is because of issues to do with harassment of journalists and even the unfortunate murder of Ahmed Suale which caught international attention and I think that since then, other incidents that have occurred have diminished our ranking,” he said.
President Mahama emphasised the important role of journalists in the country, advocating for an environment that allows them to carry out their duties freely and without fear of assault.
He called for either sanctions against individuals who assault journalists or public sensitisation, which he said would help raise awareness about the crucial role journalists play in the country.
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“And so, we need to find a way of ensuring that when people do that kind of thing, they face sanctions or are punished because once there’s no deterrent, they continue to do it. Aside from that, educate and create awareness that Journalists are not enemies. They are reporting something that is happening, and so they must be given a free leverage to be able to do their reporting,” he said.
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