The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) condemns in the strongest of terms, the June 15, 2024 invasion of a studio of Eagle FM, a radio station based in Walewale in the Northern region of Ghana, by thugs of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), and demands swift retribution.
According to reports, the attack happened during a political and current affairs discussion programme on the station on June 15, 2024. It is alleged that the victim had labeled Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who is also the ruling party’s presidential candidate for the 2024 elections in Ghana, as a liar, hence the attack.
A video footage which captures the attack shows the NPP communicator whose name is unknown, making a point during the discussion in Dagbani, a local Ghanaian language, when the thugs suddenly invaded the studio, and the first assailant pounced on him.
In the same video, other panellists on the show are seen pausing the discussion and attempting to rescue the panellist under attack. However, even as the victim of the assault tried to position himself out of the reach of his assailant, other thugs joined in and assaulted him. Eventually, the assailants would have their way, dragging the victim out of the studio amidst more assaults, both in words and physical beatings.
The MFWA has since verified the authenticity of the video with Fusseini Iddrisu, Programme Manager of Eagle FM. Mr. Iddrissu confirmed that the attack did indeed take place and that it disrupted the last 20 minutes of the programme. Fortunately, no equipment of the station was destroyed.
In the same conversation, the Eagle FM Programmes Manager also informed the MFWA that the station has since reported the incident to the Police in Walewale as an attack on the radio station and its guest.
It is the expectation of the MFWA that the Police will swiftly arrest the perpetrators and bring them to book. Beyond the Police action, the MFWA also thinks the ruling party has a responsibility to, not only open its own investigation into the attack and sanction the perpetrators, but also rein in its irate members. This attack is just the latest in a long list of attacks by alleged thugs of the ruling party on radio stations and even law enforcement agents. Prior to this invasion of Eagle FM’s studio, there had been at least seven (7) suchlike attacks by NPP thugs between 2017 and 2023.
