The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and the Ghana Journalists Association have condemned the attack on Yahaya Masahudu, a journalist in Tamale, Northern Region of Ghana, and urged the police to investigate the case and ensure justice.
Masahudu is a member of the Ghana Fact-Checking Coalition’s Media Situation Room, established by the Fact-Check Ghana, Dubawa Ghana and Ghana Fact to provide timely and accurate reports on Ghana’s December 7, 2024 elections and combat election-related misinformation. As part of his reporting duty, the journalist went to cover a looting incident at the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly warehouse and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) office within the premises of the Public Works Department on December 8.
According to the journalist, who sent a video report on the assault to the Fact-checking team, some young men manhandled him and seized his mobile phone, which he was using to record the looting. He was later rescued by some onlookers who whisked him away from the area.
Other media reports confirmed that some ruffians infiltrated the ranks of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters who were celebrating their party’s apparent victory a day after the December 7 elections, to loot public property.
“Such a thing should not be happening in this day and age, especially when the election went on peacefully without any disturbance,” Mr. Abdul-Majeed Yakubu, Regional Chair of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), stated in an interview.
“I’m still working around the clock to ensure that the phone is retrieved. But let me be frank and sincere with you, we condemn that act in no uncertain terms,” the Chairperson of GJA in the Northern Region further said.
The MFWA and the GJA have jointly called on the police to take action to bring the perpetrators to justice.
