The MFWA commends the Government of Ghana for keeping the internet on during Ghana’s December 7, 2024 elections and for creating a relatively conducive environment for peaceful and effective media coverage of the polls.
It is inspiring that Ghana upheld its proud tradition of keeping the internet on during elections, thus demonstrating a commitment to upholding the rights of citizens to secure internet. This responds positively to the call made by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Access Now and the Africa Open Data and Internet Research Foundation on President Akufo-Addo, to publicly commit to keeping the internet uninterrupted throughout the electoral processes. At the press conference where the call was made, the MFWA’s Programme Manager for Freedom of Expression, Muheeb Saeed, explained the critical role the internet plays in the electoral process and emphasised why it must be kept on at all times.
“Internet disruptions are never justified, especially during electioneering periods, as they hinder the flow of information, fuel fear and suspicion, and reduce people’s participation and trust in the entire electoral process,” Muheeb Saeed, MFWA’s Programme Manager for Freedom of Expression said at the press conference.
We are, therefore, delighted that the Ghanaian authorities kept the internet on as it had done during previous electoral cycles. The country has, thus, maintained its enviable reputation as one of the few countries on the continent that have resisted the urge to disrupt the internet during elections, demonstrations and other tensed moments.
The Media and the 2024 Elections
The media played a pivotal role in reporting the various processes of the polls to the Ghanaian and international public. Thanks to the media, there was no suspense at any point, as the citizens received timely and accurate information across the various stages of the polls. This was possible largely because of the cooperation from the police, the electoral officers, the political actors and the general public.
We salute the media for the generally professional, ethical and conflict-sensitive nature with which they covered the elections. The media’s adherence to the rules of engagement not to publish uncertified results or call the elections was admirable.
Also worthy of commendation is the tireless work of the Ghana Fact-checking Coalition which contributed to ensuring swift refutation of false claims and clarification of misleading or controversial information. This contributed to the information hygiene enjoyed during the electoral process.
Safety of Journalists
While the MFWA commends the media, the organisation also hails the Ghana Police Service and electoral officers for facilitating the work of media professionals covering the polls. It is to the credit of the police and all other actors that the media enjoyed a relatively conducive environment to report the various processes freely, safely and effectively
The exemplary display of professionalism by the police also boosted the confidence of the media and contributed to the almost incident-free media coverage. The safety and security enjoyed by journalists during the recent elections is a remarkable progress, compared to previous elections coverage.
During the 2020 elections, for instance, five journalists were attacked in a series of incidents, one of them a near-fatal shooting incident. Pius Kwanin Asiedu who works with the news portal, newswatchgh.com, was shot in the left leg on December 8, 2020, while covering the collation of results at the Ablekuma Central collation Centre in Accra.
Unlike the serial attacks on journalists during the previous cycle, the MFWA’s monitoring captured a single incident in Tamale, Northern Region during the just-ended elections. Masahudu Yahayah, a freelance journalist and member of the Ghana Fact-Checking Coalition’s Media Situation Room, was attacked by one person and his phone seized as he was covering the ransacking of the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly warehouse by miscreants.
Call for Justice
In what is a testament to the maturity and commitment of our society to democratic ideals, the voting and counting went on smoothly and peacefully. Nonetheless, the death of at least three people in subsequent altercations at some collation centres across the country leaves a sour aftertaste and must be addressed comprehensively.
We welcome the police announcement that a total of 123 suspects linked to the post-voting violence have been arrested with 49 already processed for court. We commend the police for the swft action and urge them, together with judicial authorities to ensure that justice is served and seen to be served. We also demand thorough investigations into the assault of journalist Yahaha Masahudu in order to bring the perpetrators to justice.
