Felix Kwakye Ofosu, a spokesperson for President John Dramani Mahama and Minister of State for Government Communications, has rejected accusations that the government is responsible for the recent assaults on journalists.
On February 18, Kwabena Dwumfour, the President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), condemned the Mahama administration for the rising number of journalist attacks.
Dwumfour highlighted that since Mahama took office, there have been seven reported cases of assaults on journalists, calling the situation “unprecedented.” He also expressed concerns over the lack of accountability for those responsible, criticizing the government for not taking firm action against the perpetrators.
However, in a press briefing on February 19, Kwakye Ofosu called these claims “most regrettable” and argued that they were unfair to President Mahama, the government, the GJA, and the journalists involved. He stated, “It was claimed that seven journalists had been attacked, and there were statements suggesting a deliberate plan by Mahama and his government to harm journalists. This narrative is regrettable and unfounded. It is unfair to the President, the government, the GJA, and even the journalists who were reportedly attacked.”
The Minister explained that he had spoken with the President of the GJA to better understand the reasons behind the press conference and discussed alternative ways to address the issue. He revealed that both parties agreed to organize a direct meeting between his office and the GJA early next week to resolve any concerns.
Kwakye Ofosu expressed his disappointment with the portrayal of the situation, which he felt misrepresented the government and President Mahama. He highlighted the President’s friendly nature and close relationship with the GJA, emphasizing that Mahama would never endorse a climate where journalists were under threat.
“President Mahama is known for being down-to-earth and approachable. He is a member of the GJA and relates well with journalists. He would be the last person to oversee a situation where journalists are attacked,” Kwakye Ofosu said.
Furthermore, he denied claims that the government was targeting journalists who had written or spoken critically about it, stating that the idea of reprisals was completely false. “The narrative presented during the press conference suggested that some journalists had angered the government and were now being targeted. This is not true, and there is no such agenda,” he affirmed.
