On August 11, two journalists from The Fourth Estate had to abruptly abort a scheduled interview with the acting Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea.
The journalists who are investigating a major health sector scandal for which the Director General needs to clarify some issues, had agreed to an interview with him at his office within the headquarters of the GHS. Upon arriving at the GHS headquarters, the Director General suggested moving the interview venue to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge Hospital).
Upon arrival, Dr. Kaba instructed a staff who was with him to “call National Security.” Moments later, Richard Jakpa, Director of Special Operations at the National Security Secretariat, called the journalists on phone, and asked: “So you went there, what are you working on?”
The journalists responded that they were at the venue based on an agreed interview with the Director General. Jakpa then asked: “Interviewing him about what exactly?”
When the reporters refused to reveal details citing journalistic confidentiality, Mr. Jakpa ordered them to leave the place immediately. The journalists aborted the interview and left the scene as ordered in order not to compromise their safety and security. Feeling threatened, the journalists subsequently filed a formal complaint at the Ministries Police Station in Accra.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) strongly condemns this conduct as a blatant breach of Article 162 (4) of the 1992 Constitution, which forbids any control or interference in journalists’ professional duties. Such acts not only violate media independence but also deny the public its constitutional right to access information.
“The National Security is fast gaining notoriety for press freedom violations in a way that is seriously disturbing,” said Sulemana Braimah, Executive Director of the MFWA. “What has national security got to do with journalists doing a harmless exercise such as interviewing a public official? Why should national security officials be at the beck and call of public officials to do crude work for them?”
Just about two weeks ago, journalists from the Multimedia Group were manhandled by operatives from the National Security. Earlier in April, the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) expressed concern about a three-hour interrogation of Prosper Agbenyegah, Editor of Current Issues newspaper, by the National Security Secretariat. Prosper Agbenyegah was questioned over a story published by Current Issues about alleged procurement of national electrical power distributor, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG). His interrogation followed an invitation from the same Richard Jakpa.
The MFWA calls on President John Dramani Mahama to take immediate actions to avert these very embarrassing acts of his national security appointees which have the potential to seriously undermine press freedom under his regime and the integrity of the government generally.
