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MFWA Sues Media Regulator Over Right to Information Request on Shutdown of Radio Stations

Kwaku Asante
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MFWA Sues Media Regulator Over Right to Information Request on Shutdown of Radio Stations

In what may be the first Court case since the coming into force of Ghana’s Right to Information (RTI) Law, the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has filed a suit at an Accra High Court against Ghana’s media frequency regulator, National Communications Authority (NCA).

On July 22, 2020, the MFWA, through its Executive Director, Sulemana Braimah, submitted an access to information request to the NCA, in exercise of rights guaranteed under Article 21(1)(f) of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution and under Ghana’s Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989).

The MFWA had requested from the NCA the full list of all FM radio stations (indicating name of company, name of radio station, location, and frequency number) that it had shut down following the Authority’s 2017 FM spectrum audit which, according to the NCA, was in line with the 2018 decision of the Electronic Communications Tribunal.

The MFWA had also requested for the full list of all authorised FM stations as of the second quarter of 2020, with indications of the dates of first authorisation, dates of last authorisation renewals, locations, and operational status of the radio stations – that is whether they are on air or off-air.

The MFWA further wanted to know reasons why the NCA made changes to exclude certain information from its published 2020 second-quarter report titled: “List of Authorised VHF-FM Radio Stations in Ghana as at Second Quarter 2020,” compared with other similar reports previously issued by the Authority.

After acknowledging the MFWA’s letter, the NCA did not provide the requested information within the statutory 14 days, prompting the former to send a follow-up letter on August 18, 2020.

Subsequently, the media regulator wrote two letters in reply. In the first letter, it indicated that the Authority was not going to provide explanations for the changes it had made to its report. In the second letter, the regulator asked the MFWA to pay GHC 2,000 (USD 345) to enable it generate the requested information. It said it based its action on its law, the Electronic Communications Act.

Convinced that the amount the NCA is demanding is prohibitive and liable to set a bad precedent, and a breach of the fundamental right to access information, the MFWA decided to file a suit, but this was after an appeal for a second look through its lawyers was ignored by the NCA.

The MFWA averred in the suit that the NCA had acted “unconscionably, unjustifiably, unreasonably, unfairly and arbitrarily and in breach of specific provisions of Act 989 complained about in the suit”.

 Consequently, the MFWA is praying the Court for the following reliefs;

  1. A declaration that the decision and demand by Respondent contained in its letters dated 29th July 2020 and 20th August, 2020 complained about are unlawful, unreasonable, unfair, and in violation of Applicant’s constitutional and fundamental right to access information.
  2. A declaration that the amount of GHC 2,000 demanded by Respondent from the Applicant in order to generate the information constitutes constructive denial, refusal, failure or neglect, and breach of Applicant’s right to information under Article 21(1) (f) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana
  3. A declaration that the amount demanded is not only unlawful but unconscionably exorbitant in breach of the letter and spirit of Act 989 and Applicant’s fundamental rights to information
  4. A declaration that the information requested by the Applicant is not subjected to a charge/fee; or in the alternative,
  5. A declaration that if Applicant were liable to a charge/fee, same ought to be an ascertainable amount to cover the actual cost of reproduction or photocopy of the information sought only.

The MFWA is also seeking an Order of the Court in enforcing its rights to information under Article 21(1) (f) of the Constitution by compelling Respondent to provide the information requested.

The case, which was filed on 27th November, 2020 was scheduled to be heard for the first time today (15th March, 2020) but adjourned to 31st March 2021 as the Human Rights Court 1 did not sit today.

Over Four Months after, Nigerian Authorities Yet to Account for Journalist Pelumi Onifade’s Murder

Kwaku Asante
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Over Four Months after, Nigerian Authorities Yet to Account for Journalist Pelumi Onifade’s Murder

Today is exactly 138 days (over four months) since Pelumi Onifade was last seen alive, but the Nigerian authorities are yet to bring to account those responsible for the young journalist’s murder. His family, school mates and media colleagues are yet to recover from the shock of his brutal death, their sense of grief made more poignant by the silence of those who are to act to unravel the killing and help bring closure to the matter.

On October 24, 2020, Onifade, who was covering the #EndSARS protests for Gboah TV, an online television channel, was attacked by security officers and carried away alongside a mob arrested by the Lagos State Task Force for exploiting the protests to loot a COVID-19 relief facility. About a week later, the body of the student journalist was found in a mortuary in Ikorodu Lagos. His family lawyer said his body had bullet wounds.

Onifade was a 200-level student of the Department of History at Tai Solarin University of Education, Ogun State, and an intern at Gboah TV .

His assailants were members of the security task force that had been deployed to clamp down on hoodlums who had infiltrated the protesters and looting relief items stored in a warehouse at the Agege area of Lagos. Even after identifying himself as a journalist, he was brutalised by the security officers and dragged away alongside dozens of the miscreants during a deadly clash between the task force and the hoodlums.

Onifade reportedly died in police custody from the injuries he sustained from the severe beatings and his body deposited at the mortuary with the news of his death withheld from his family members.

It took five days of search of police stations and prisons by Onifade’s family members and employers before they received information that his corpse was at a mortuary at Ikorodu, Lagos.

The young journalist’s death generated outrage as thousands of Nigerians poured out their emotions on social media with the hashtag #JusticeforPelumi.

“Pelumi Onifade was 20 years old! We have lost another promising Nigerian youth…due to recklessness and a lack of value for human lives. Nobody has been held accountable till this very moment. How safe are we in Nigeria?” a popular comedian and #EndSARS campaigner, Debo Adedayo, tweeted in November 2020.

“No justice has been got for my son. The authorities have not done anything,” the journalist’s mother, Bose, in an emotion-laden voice, told MFWA on the phone. “I am still in distress,” she added. “No compensation has also been paid to the family.”

The #EndSARS protests were against the human rights abuse of the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police.

The #EndSARS protests, which garnered international attention, came to a head on October 20 when soldiers reportedly fired at several unarmed demonstrators at the Lekki tollgate in Lagos, killing many. After the youths demanded justice for all victims of police brutality, the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry was set up to investigate all cases of abuse.

The spokesperson for the Lagos police command, Muyiwa Adejobi, said Onifade’s death was among those investigated by the panel.

“I can’t speak on it since the matter is with the panel,” Adejobi told the MFWA. The panel has not responded to enquiries by the MFWA.

Onifade’s colleagues at Tai Solarin University of Education are equally in shock and demanding justice.

“We are demanding an explanation of what happened to our colleague,” said Abdulazeez Soneye, the President of the Student Union Government.

An official with a Lagos group, the Education Rights Concern, Daniel Abayomi, called on the panel of inquiry to ensure justice prevails in Pelumi Onifade’s case.

“It has been over four months since his death, yet no one has been punished. This is unfair to the family of the journalist,” Abayomi told the MFWA via phone.

The Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism had in an email demanded an end to impunity against journalists in Nigeria and globally.

“The rate of killings and the motives behind them are constant reminders that violence against journalists is still rampant and failure to combat impunity against journalists is an indictment on the authorities,” the Centre said.

Meanwhile, this was not the first time Nigerian journalists were murdered in similar circumstances.

Precious Owolabi, a 23-year-old journalist for Channels TV, was on July 22, 2019, reportedly hit by a stray bullet while covering the shooting of members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria by the security forces in Abuja.

Owolabi later died in the hospital, and according to the Nigeria Union of Journalists, no one has been brought to account for his murder.

Alexander Ogbu, a reporter and editor of Regent Africa Times, also died from head injuries sustained after being hit by a bullet during a crackdown on a protest by the Islamic Movement of Nigeria on January 21, 2020, in Abuja.

The autopsy conducted on his remains revealed that Ogbu, who was 50 at the time, died as a result of brain evisceration.

The Media Foundation for West Africa joins the family and friends of Pelumi Onifade, and the media fraternity in Nigeria to demand justice for the slain journalist. The Nigerian authorities should be alarmed at the rate at which the security force’s crackdown on protests has been resulting in the killing of civilians including journalists on duty.

It is a blot on Nigeria’s press freedom and general human rights record that in almost all the cases, no conclusive investigations have been carried out, much less prosecution of the culprits.

We call for thorough investigations into the death of the journalist and justice for his grieving family and friends.

International Women’s Day 2021: MFWA Challenges Governments to Address Women’s Rights Online Issues

Kwaku Asante
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International Women’s Day 2021: MFWA Challenges Governments to Address Women’s Rights Online Issues

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) celebrates women in Ghana and across the West Africa region for the gallant roles they continue to play at the local, national, and international levels, most especially during the COVID-19 outbreak.

In particular, the MFWA congratulates all the women who have put their lives on the line as frontline health workers and caregivers to save lives, and as journalists to keep the public informed about the pandemic, even at the peak of the outbreak.

The COVID-19 pandemic undoubtedly exposed the challenges and inequalities women continue to face in both offline and online spaces as Women were the worst hit by the devastating effects of the COVID-19 outbreak.

This became starker when the COVID-19 situation pushed a lot of offline activities and engagements into the online world as a result of safety measures and movement restrictions put in place by various governments to contain the spread of the virus.

Unfortunately, many women in Ghana and West Africa remain offline as a result of challenges, including access, affordability, digital literacy, online harassment, as highlighted in a Report Card produced by the Web Foundation and the MFWA. Thus, while the world practically moved into an online society, many women in the region were left behind, thereby losing out on business opportunities and services that were critical to their survival and economic empowerment.

Girls also received their fair share of the impact of COVID-19 as technology became the centre of education due to the fact that schools were closed and learning activities and lessons were moved online. Many girls, including those in the urban and most especially those in the rural areas were left out as they did not have digital access and skills.

In line with the theme for the 2021 International Women’s Day (#ChooseToChallenge), the MFWA is choosing to challenge Governments in West Africa, to provide the enabling environment for gender-equitable access to the internet and other ICTs.

In Ghana, the MFWA, with funding support from the Web Foundation has undertaken a mapping of selected policy documents to identify the gaps that need to be filled to ensure that women can access and use the internet and other ICTs.

Among other things, the soon-to-be-launched report highlights provision of gender-disaggregated data as one of the major challenges in policies. This makes it difficult to measure progress towards bridging the digital-gender divide. Funding to implement some of the policies that could enhance women’s participation in online spaces is also another major challenge identified, and so is the lack of/ inadequate provision for sensitisation in many of the policies.

The organisation is, therefore, challenging government to demonstrate its commitment to closing up the digital gender gap by adopting the recommendations made in the Baseline Report on Women’s Rights Online Issues in Ghana and the five-point Action Plan proposed in the Report Card on Ghana.

As an organisation, the MFWA will continue to promote women’s rights online as part of its Digital Rights Programme. We remain committed to engaging the relevant stakeholders and training women’s rights groups, journalists, and bloggers to empower them to support the advocacy and to contribute to the creation of relevant online content that speaks to the needs of women and girls in Ghana and the rest of West Africa.

The International Women’s Day is celebrated every March 8.

Senegal Protests: 2 Demonstrators Killed, TV Channels Suspended, Radio Office Ransacked

Kwaku Asante
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Senegal Protests: 2 Demonstrators Killed, TV Channels Suspended, Radio Office Ransacked

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) condemns the disruption of social networks in Senegal, the suspension of two television channels as well as the deadly repression of protests.

While also denouncing the violent demonstrators, who attacked other media outlets, the MFWA calls on the Senegalese authorities to ensure that freedom of the press is protected, that media on all sides are safe and independent in their reporting.

On Friday 5th March 2021 morning, network data from the NetBlocks, an organisation that monitors internet and social network access, revealed a mobile internet disruption at the major phone companies Orange and Sonatel in Senegal.

“Metrics show that Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, and some Telegram servers were restricted on leading cellular network operator Orange/Sonatel as of early morning Friday. Affected services have subsequently been restored from 7:30 a.m. UTC.” had published NetBlocks.

However, the reason for the observed disruptions has not been ascertained, as neither the cellular network operators nor the public authorities have issued an official statement to this effect. However, evidence shows that an increasing number of governments on the continent are resorting to internet blackouts and blocking of social networks to suppress anti-government protests and restrict online civil and political space.

Earlier, on 3 March 2021, demonstrations broke out in Dakar, the capital of Senegal, and in several other major cities in the country such as Kaolack, Saint Louis, and Casamance. Demonstrations persisted on 4 March. The protests resulted from the arrest of Ousmane Sonko, leader of the opposition political party Patriotes du Sénégal pour le Travail, l’Ethique et la Fraternité́, (Pastef-Patriotes), a deputy in the National Assembly and third in the 2019 presidential elections.

As he was on his way to court to respond to a rape complaint, Ousmane Sonko had been arrested for “disturbing public order and participating in an unauthorised demonstration”.

At least two people were killed by anti-riot forces during the violent repression of demonstrations against Sonko’s arrest. The police and gendarmerie used batons, tear gas, and live ammunition to disperse demonstrators. Sheikh Ibrahima Coly and Sheikh Diop, aged 20 and 17 respectively, died from gunshot wounds.

Other demonstrators were arrested, several others were injured and there was extensive damage to properties. The authorities have not yet released official figures on arrests and the results of the law-enforcement agencies’ repression.

Nevertheless, the Minister of the Interior, Antoine Félix Abdoulaye Diome, had justified the arrest of Ousmane Sonko on the grounds of the ban on gatherings issued because of the Covid-19 and a traffic plan put in place by the authorities.

Also, on 4 March 2021, the broadcasting regulatory authority, the Conseil National de Régulation de l’Audiovisuel (CNRA) suspended two private television channels, WALF TV and SEN TV, for three days on account of broadcasting a loop of violent images.

These two media are considered to be close to the opposition and they are accused by the CNRA of stirring up violence. However, besides the 2STV, the CNRA had warned two other private channels against broadcasting content that “explicitly or implicitly promotes violence”, incites disturbances of public order, or “is likely to constitute a threat to national stability or social cohesion”.

Media outlets considered to be close to the authorities were also targeted by angry demonstrators. The state media outlet Soleil and two other private media, RFM and Dakaractu, were targeted by demonstrators.

While condemning the disruption of social networks in Senegal, the suspension of the two television channels as well as attacks by demonstrators on other media, the MFWA calls on authorities to probe into the deadly repression made by law enforcement officials and punish the perpetrators.

The organisation also calls on political parties to sensitise their supporters on the need for peaceful demonstrations, which is essential for any democracy, and for the respect of press and journalists’ rights to do their job of informing the public. As Senegal is considered a model of democracy in the sub-region, sanctioning the media under the pretext of “state security” or attacking them for their supposed political sides promises nothing good for the credibility of civil and political freedoms. These attacks call into question the democratic culture that the country has acquired. Violating these democratic values as well as the freedom of expression and of the press, is a dangerous precedent for the country and West Africa. This further has the potential to galvanise other countries that are not yet completely divorced from the remnants of authoritarian rule.

Therefore, the Media Foundation for West Africa urges public authorities, law enforcement agencies, and opposition political parties to take the necessary steps to assuage political tensions.

MFWA Calls on Media to Reject Autocratic Order from Judicial Service of Ghana

Kwaku Asante
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MFWA Calls on Media to Reject Autocratic Order from Judicial Service of Ghana

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) totally rejects the order from the Judicial Service of Ghana to media organisations to take down all online stories that the service deemed insulting to the judiciary. The Foundation considers the order a frontal attack on press freedom.

Ghanaians are generally decent people who accord due respect to their democratic institutions, including the judiciary. Anytime such institutions have come under unwarranted attack, this collective sense of decency and respect for democratic order have galvanized the public to denounce such attacks in the most robust and emphatic manner. In this case, we dare say, that even in our divided opinions about the Supreme Court’s handling of the Election Petition, the public does not seem to agree that said publications have crossed any red lines.

The Judicial Service’s view of critical publications as insulting and liable to undermine the image and authority of the judiciary is, in our view, exaggerated.

The order to media houses to “pull or cause to be pulled down and cleared from your platforms, all statements and speeches which convey and/or insinuate hateful, spiteful, vengeful, and incendiary communication against Justices” of the Courts amounts to interference in the editorial judgement of media house and an infringement on the freedom and independence of the media.

We are concerned that the Judicial Service is asking media houses to “prevent the publication of such statements and speeches on your platforms, and forthwith exercise the highest level of discernment, discretion and responsibility insofar as the publication of statements and speeches regarding the administration of justice are concerned.”

This is a direct order with an authoritative tone that would be unsettling even in an autocracy. This is a call on media houses to self-censor and censor critical opinions about the judiciary, which is unacceptable in a democratic country such as Ghana.

The freedom of the media is guaranteed by the Constitution of Ghana and is supposed to be independent and free from censorship and external interference. The media, as an institution, is obliged to uphold the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people of Ghana as spelt out in Article 162 (1,2,4&5 of the 1992 constitution).

This is not to suggest, however, that the media cannot err or is above the law. Journalists and media organisations are subject to the constitution, which has provided for the National Media Commission (NMC) as responsible for enforcing ethics, promoting professionalism, and sanctioning infringement of media ethics.

We would, therefore, have thought that the Judicial Service would lodge its grievances, if any, with the NMC, and institution meant to mediate and check reckless journalism that could injure the reputation and or interests of individuals and institutions.

The order from the Judicial Service is a flagrant interference in the editorial independence of the media houses concerned and an attempt at censorship. The MFWA, therefore, calls on the media to disregard it and to help sustain Ghana’s democracy by continuing to report and discuss, according to their conscience and within the limits of the law and the code of ethics, the work of the judiciary, and to hold all public institutions accountable to the people.

MFWA Board Saddened by Impact of COVID-19 on Media Businesses, Bemoans Worsening Human Rights Conditions in Guinea

Vivian Affoah
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MFWA Board Saddened by Impact of COVID-19 on Media Businesses, Bemoans Worsening Human Rights Conditions in Guinea

The Board of Directors of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has expressed deep concerns about the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on media businesses in West Africa.

At its recent meeting on February 25, 2021, the Board bemoaned the collapse of several media organisations in the region and the consequent job losses in the media sector. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, over 100 media organisations in the region have folded up with hundreds of journalists losing their jobs as a result.

As the crises from the pandemic persist, it remains uncertain how many more media organisations in the region will become casualties to the serious economic and other challenges caused by the pandemic. The Board, thus, urged governments and other stakeholders in the region to take steps to support the survival and sustainability of the media in the various countries.

The Board also denounced the continuous and escalating spate of human and media rights violations in the Republic of Guinea. Over the last two years, dozens of journalists and other human rights activists have been attacked, arrested and detained, and others even killed. The Board called on the government of Guinea to take immediate and appropriate steps to end the spate of violations and also provide justice for victims.

These, among other concerns, were contained in a six-point Resolution adopted by the Board after its meeting.  Below is the six-point Resolution adopted by the Board:

Resolution by the Board of Directors of Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) At its Meeting held on February 25, 2021

 On February 25, 2021, the Board of Directors of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) held a virtual meeting to discuss a number of strategic documents and issues; the implications and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the regional context and operations of the organisation; and other broader issues of media freedom, freedom of expression and media development in West Africa. The meeting was presided over by the Chairperson of the Board, Ms. Sophie Ly Sow of Senegal. At the end of the meeting, the Board unanimously adopted and issued this six-point Resolution.

  1. The Board is deeply concerned about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on nearly every aspect of life and in particular, the crippling effect of the pandemic on media businesses and media sustainability in the region. The Board also acknowledges the further deterioration of press freedom, freedom of expression and the continuous shrinking of civic spaces in the region, which has been exacerbated by COVID-19-related attacks and repressive policies. It, therefore, called on governments in the region to offer stimulus support to media organisations to enhance their capacity so they can continue to operate even under the challenging economic circumstances.
  1. The Board is deeply saddened by the fact that increasingly, a few countries in the region that served as champions for press freedom and free expression, are ceasing their leadership role on those issues and called for the resurgence of regional leadership on press freedom and freedom of expression issues. In this regard, the Board welcomed recent commitments by a number of governments around the World to re-energise efforts on promoting media freedom and safety of journalists around the world.
  1. The Board reiterates its deep concern about the serious and systematic human and media rights violations in the Republic of Guinea and urges authorities in the country to take immediate steps to address such violations and provide justice for victims. In view of the situation, the Board directed that the organisation should plan and execute a dedicated advocacy campaign on the situation in Guinea and to work with the government and other stakeholders to help improve the state of media rights and freedom of expression in the country.
  1. In the light of general deteriorating human rights conditions in the region, the Board notes with profound sadness, the decision by the governments of Cote d’Ivoire and Benin to withdraw the right of individuals and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to submit complaints directly to the African Court of Human and People Right (AfCHPR). The Board expressed concern that the decision of the two governments has the potential to further impede citizens’ access to justice and also reverse the modest gains made in the promotion of human rights in the region.
  1. Recognising the importance of technology to the overall development and in the efforts to bring the COVID-19 pandemic under control in the region, the Board emphasised the importance of internet access, affordability and use by all, but especially by women. Accordingly, the Board calls on national governments and regional bodies in West Africa to prioritise investments in ICTs and work collaboratively to promote internet freedom and especially women’s digital rights, to help bridge the widening digital gender gap in the region.
  1. The Board remains extremely concerned about the serious challenges posed by extremism, terrorism and drug trafficking to the overall security situation in the region and in particular, to media freedom and practice in West Africa. The Board thus, calls on national governments and regional bodies to work collaboratively to help address the problem.

 

Adopted, this Thursday February 25, 2021.

Mitigating the COVID-19 Impact: Six Media Organisations in West Africa Supported to Improve Online Presence, Revenue Generation

Kwaku Asante
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Mitigating the COVID-19 Impact: Six Media Organisations in West Africa Supported to Improve Online Presence, Revenue Generation

COVID-19 wreaked a devastating impact on the media in West Africa. The pandemic, at its peak in 2020, posed a serious challenge to revenue streams of media organisations. Advertising cuts and less spending by media consumers worsened the already precarious sustainability crisis facing the region’s media. Many media organisations laid off staff and cut down on production. Some were forced to adopt emergent austerity measures while looking for alternate sources of funding. Media organisations redesigned their newsrooms and how news was gathered, processed, and disseminated; others, completely shutdown.

Restrictions and lifestyle changes of media consumers instigated a significant shift towards online media with a heavy reliance on the Internet and digital tools for media work. Interestingly, Online media outlets experienced spikes in visits and the prospects of improved revenue in the online space. For example, in Senegal, leading online news platform Seneweb, “saw the number of visitors on their website increased by 30% on average” while MediaForce-Afrique and International Centre for Investigative Reporting in Senegal and Nigeria respectively witnessed massive surge in the number of visitors to their sites.

Legacy media, on the other hand, was the most devastated. Many of them had had some online presence (websites; social media handles) prior to COVID; but only a few, had been minded and actually invested in the potential of the digital/online space to grow their visibility and revenue in the long run.

Giving the immeasurable prospects for improved revenue and viability, especially in the face of COVID-19, the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) supported six influential media organisations in five countries in West Africa to adopt new digital tools aimed at improving their online presence, audience reach and revenue generation. The beneficiary media organisations are A1 radio and Skyy Power FM based in Ghana; The Daily Observer in Liberia; Eburnie Today in Cote d’Ivoire, La Maison des Reporters in Senegal, and Banouto in Benin.

The MFWA financially supported the beneficiary media organisations to engage the services of digital media Consultants who assessed their online platforms – website and social media – and recommended best tools and practices to improve their presence online. This was complemented by an in-house training for a period of two weeks during which staff of the media organisations were introduced to digital marketing concepts and tools such as brand identity; creating digital videos; setting up a digital-savvy newsroom and how to use social media to effectively engage and communicate with audience. The beneficiary media organisations also received a virtual post-training coaching from the Consultants for at least three months.

In Ghana, A1 radio, a leading private radio station in Bolgatanga, the country’s Upper East region, following the support, has launched a new website with digital features to feed its audience. It has also created a 10-minute local news programme that reports local content from the five Northern regions in Ghana. The station has also improved its visitor ratings according to U.S-based Alexa.com (web traffic analysis company) from 2,010th in December 2020, to be among the first 700 in January 2021.

One of Liberia’s leading private newspaper, The Daily Observer, a member of the Liberian Observer Corporation, was one of the worst hit by the pandemic. Newspaper sales in 2020 dwindled by a record 50% according to Bai Sama Best, General Manager of the Corporation. Following the institutional support from the MFWA, the media organisation has re-strategised and prioritized its website content production/management and constituted a core online team to manage the organisation’s online platforms and presence.

Prior to MFWA’s support, online media organisation in Senegal, La Maison des Reporters, did not have a digital media strategy. Maison des Reporters is developing a digital strategy to guide and boost its online presence and begin generating revenue from the website.

In February 2019, Banouto media, one of the beneficiaries of the MFWA media sustainability project in Benin was adjudged the number one most visited online information site in Benin by New York-based internet giant, SimilarWeb.

The MFWA’s Media Institutional Capacity Building Support makes available both financial and technical support to media organisations in West Africa to improve their content and viability. So far about 10 major media organisations have been supported including Ghana-based Citi TV/FM and Sierra Leone-based AYV. The project is implemented with funding support from the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA).

Video Story: Ghanaian MPs Reference MFWA Data in Questioning Ministers on Press Freedom

Kwaku Asante
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Video Story: Ghanaian MPs Reference MFWA Data in Questioning Ministers on Press Freedom

Members of Ghana’s Parliament confronted two Ministers-Designate using data from the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) on key issues of press freedom that have been raised consistently by the MFWA over the last couple of years.

This was done during the vetting (confirmation hearing) of the two Ministers-Designate who have been re-nominated by the President of Ghana for the portfolios of Communication and Digitisation; and Information. Both Ministers-Designate had been Ministers for the same sectors in the last four years.

First to appear before the Appointment Committee of Parliament on February 16, 2021, was the Minister-Designate for Communication and Digitisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful. She was specifically questioned on the closure of several radio stations in the country during her tenure as Minister with statements and letters published by the MFWA on the issues.

The MFWA has consistently condemned the closure of the stations as arbitrary and politically motivated giving that many of the stations that were closed were known to be aligned with the main opposition party. The MFWA has subsequently engaged with the National Communications Authority (NCA), which regulates the spectrum, and actually undertook the exercise to close down the radio stations for clarity on the matter.

During the Appointment Committee hearing, the Minister-Designate was confronted on the shutdown of the radio stations and the concerns raised by the MFWA. Below is the engagement where the Minority Chief Whip, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, questioned the Minister-Designate about the shutdowns using MFWA’s publications. It ends with the Minister promising to investigate the issues and submitting a report to Parliament.

 

Earlier, the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, read out portions of statements and letters that had been written by the MFWA on the shutdown of the radio stations to point out the issue of discrimination in closing down the stations. Below is the engagement between the Ranking Member and the Minister-Designate:

 

On 19th February, 2021, it was the turn of the Minister-Designate for Information. The Minister-Designate was presented with press freedom violation data compiled by the MFWA and asked what steps he will take to improve media freedom in the country. Below is the engagement with the Minister-Designate on the MFWA data:

Beninois Journalist Released from Detention Visits MFWA in Accra to Say “Thank You”

Kwaku Asante
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Beninois Journalist Released from Detention Visits MFWA in Accra to Say “Thank You”

Following his release from prison, Beninois journalist Ignace Sossou paid what he called a “thank you visit” to the offices of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) at East Legon, Accra, on February 19, 2020.

After a warm “elbow-shake” as the COVID-19 protocols will allow, the journalist who was imprisoned in 2019 in connection with his work, told the MFWA’s Executive Director that he had come to express gratitude and show appreciation to the MFWA for its role in getting him released from prison.

“I cannot thank the MFWA enough for the consistent advocacy you embarked on which contributed to my successful appeal and subsequent release from detention. The prison conditions were terrible, but your fight on my behalf, alongside the efforts of other press freedom organisations, always kept my spirit up,” the journalist said

Sossou, who works with Benin Web TV, was arrested at his home on December 20, 2019 by agents of the central office for the suppression of cybercrime and brought before a court, which sentenced him to 18 months in prison on December 24, 2019.

His arrest and conviction followed complaint from Benin’s Public Prosecutor that the journalist, who was covering a conference, had, in a tweet and a Facebook post, taken his words out of context.

Following Sossou’s imprisonment, the MFWA initiated many actions, including a joint petition with its national partner organisations, for the release of Ignace Sossou. We also joined many international human rights organisations to put pressure on the authorities in Benin to obtain the unconditional release of the journalist.

On March 24, 2020, which was exactly three months after Sossou was arrested, the MFWA again issued a statement calling on the beniniois authorities to end the unjust detention of the journalist.

On April 28, 2020, when the journalist was appearing in court for a hearing, MFWA and seven other press freedom organisations issued a statement calling on the Beninois authorities to release him particularly in view of the risk of infection by COVID-19 during his detention.

On 3 May, MFWA and its national partners sent a petition to the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Access to Information of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), Lawrence Mute, urging him to intervene in the case to secure the journalist’s release.

The pressure from freedom of expression organisations including MFWA contributed to the Court of Appeal commuting the sentence to 12 months, with 6 months suspended. He was finally released on June 24, 2020.

The grateful journalist decided to call at the offices of the MFWA to show appreciation for the organisation’s advocacy efforts which pressurised the Beninois authorities to shave 12 months off his 18-month sentence.

The Executive Director of the MFWA, Sulemana Braimah, praised the journalist for his fortitude and tenacity. He used the opportunity to express concern about the increasing exploitation of cyber-related laws to clamp down on online journalism and activism.

Media Ethics: Ghanaweb.com Tops as Incidence of Violations Double

Kwaku Asante
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Media Ethics: Ghanaweb.com Tops as Incidence of Violations Double

News website Ghanaweb.com recorded more than 50% of the media ethics violations recorded for the period of February 1-15. The violations recorded on the popular news website were mostly unsavory and unprintable comments by readers of the online portal which the editors have allowed to be published.

Ghanaweb.com recorded 58 violations out of the 108 violations recorded for the period of monitoring. The violation recorded for the period represents exactly a 100% increase compared with the previous period of monitoring, January 16-31, where 54 violations were recorded.

These findings were observed by the Ethics Monitoring Project of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) which monitored 26 news organisations made up of 10 Akan language radio stations, 10 newspapers, and six news websites. A total of 980 pieces of content from the 26 organisations were monitored and analysed out of which 108 ethical violations were recorded.

Aside from Ghanaweb.com which recorded 58 violations, modernghana.com also recorded 1 violation, making news websites the media outlet that infracted media ethics the most for the period of monitoring. Radio stations followed with 49 violations. The newspapers monitored did not record any violation for the period.

The monitoring of media ethics is part of a project titled: Enhancing Media Professionalism To Inspire Public Confidence and Support for Press Freedom in Ghana being implemented with funding support from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The objective of the project is to identify and highlight incidents of ethical infractions and draw attention to such breaches as a way of fostering adherence to ethical principles by media organisations.

The full report contains the specific ethical principles violated, the names of the media outlets that committed the violations, among other findings. Click here to access the full report. The instrument being used for the monitoring, which contains the category definitions for tracking and reporting of ethical principles is also available here.

For further clarifications and media interviews, contact the Programme Manager, Abigail Larbi-Odei (0244867047), or Programme Officer, Kwaku Krobea Asante (0249484528).

Three Journalists Arrested, Critical Local Chief Summoned

Kwaku Asante
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Three Journalists Arrested, Critical Local Chief Summoned

Three journalists, Charles Kponwadan of the news website Horizon, Anani Vidzraku of Radio Victoire and Romuald Lansou of the Togoinfos web TV were arrested on February 3, 2021 and taken to the premises of the Golfe District Office by gendarmes for interviewing a very critical chief “without authorization”.

They were interviewing Togbui Dagban-Ayivon IV, head of the Adakpamé district (south-east of Lomé), who had just emerged from a hearing with the Head of the Golfe District, Komlan Agbotsè. Togbui Dagban-Ayivon IV, very regular on private radio stations to denounce the excesses of the government, had just left the hearing after being summoned by the district head .

Komlan Agbotsè called in a gendarme on duty inside the district office, who questioned the journalists before leading them to the waiting room. The bodyguard of Komlan Agbotsè then seized the working materials of the three journalists as well as their cell phones. Their recordings were also deleted.

The district head later called the territorial gendarmerie, a few meters from the office, whose agents came to pick up the journalists and took them to Lomé. The journalists were taken to the Territorial Brigade of the National Gendarmerie in the capital, Lomé, where they underwent three hours of interrogation before being released.

All of the main media organisations in Togo denounce the arrest of three journalists. For media organisations, in particular, the OTM, the CONAPP, the PPT, the ATOPPEL, the URATEL, the UJIT and the SYNJIT, “this attitude of the Golfe district head seriously harms the freedom to inform and condemns with the utmost rigor this aggression on journalists in the exercise of their profession.”

They recalled that under Togo’s constitution, “no one has the right to restrict” freedom of expression, considered “an essential pillar of democracy, by hiding behind any pretext whatsoever”.

They therefore called on the Togolese authorities to “do everything in their power to guarantee media professionals the free exercise of their profession”.

This act of the district head worries journalists who are recently confronted with the aggressiveness of the security forces and serial, disproportionate sanctions by the media regulator and the Court for the least error or misunderstanding.

The arrest of the three journalists comes 19 days after the license of the L’Indépendant Express newspaper was withdrawn and its publication banned indefinitely. The ban ordered by the media regulator. The request was made following the publication of an article in which the said newspaper had accused some women ministers of stealing golden spoons during a reception, an article which earned the editor of the newspaper, Carlos Komlanvi Ketohou, three days in detention.

The Media Foundation for West Africa strongly condemns the arrest of journalists Charles Kponwadan, Anani Vidzraku and Romuald Lansou, and calls on the Togolese authorities to change attitudes towards journalists. The summons of chief Dagban-Ayivon for his criticisms of the government and the interrogation of the journalists demonstrate a will to silence critics, which violates article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of which Togo is signatory.

World Radio Day 2021: MFWA Applauds the Resilience, Versatility of Radio in the Face of COVID-19

Kwaku Asante
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World Radio Day 2021: MFWA Applauds the Resilience, Versatility of Radio in the Face of COVID-19

The theme for this year’s World Radio Day – New World, New Radio – highlights and celebrates the significance and resilience of radio in remaining sustainable over time; adapting to new technologies and continually providing services to society in the face of a changing world.

In West Africa, the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) acknowledges the crucial role of radio as the most accessible media platform and source of information to citizens, especially the vulnerable, literate/semi-literate and those in remote areas. Radio has enabled information dissemination, public education, citizens’ mobilisation, sensitization and awareness creation be it in the context of conflicts, disease outbreak, terrorists’ actions and even under oppressive regimes. Significantly, within the democratisation processes of the West Africa region, radio has provided spaces for public discourse/debates and civic engagements.

With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, many radio newsrooms across the region evolved. Indeed, the media are faced with significant financial crisis due to advertising squeeze, less spending by media consumers and some repressive policies by governments exacerbating the already precarious sustainability crisis that confronts the region’s media. For example, in Mauritania, of the five private radio stations in the country, only one was able to stay afloat and broadcast in the whole of 2020 due to COVID-19 while in Guinea, several other journalists were laid off and other media outlets shutdown completely.

The MFWA, more importantly, applauds the resilience of radio stations in the region for adapting and developing innovative approaches to remain relevant and connected to their audiences. For instance, in Burkina Faso, WhatsApp was a major game changer. Radio stations relied on WhatsApp for newsroom meetings and decisions on topics for news programming and interviews and even for interactive programmes. In Senegal and Ghana, media organisations significantly relied the online app, ZOOM, to carry out newsroom meetings and conduct interviews. Old newsroom schedules and practices have been altered as many newsrooms run shift and allow their Journalists to file stories from home and send via mail to radio without having to go to the studio.

The growing cancellation of advertising contracts also saw many radio stations, last year, turning to the online space as a new revenue model. Senegal’s foremost private radio, SUD FM consciously boosted its online presence as part of its strategy to generate resources in the long term. According to Baye Omar, General Manager of Sud FM “the future is online and we are betting on YouTube. Now our interviews with high officials and main programmes are on YouTube. We are counting on it to generate revenues on the long term. This pandemic is offering an opportunity for radio stations go digital”.

The MFWA also commends the radio fraternity for developing new programmes focusing on COVID-19 and stepping up public education, sensitization and awareness on the pandemic. While fake news, mis/disinformation characterized COVID-19 especially on social media, several radio stations positioned themselves as a trusted and credible source of information on COVID-19. Radio enabled the vulnerable, less privileged, and citizens in remote areas citizens including the socially excluded to still access information in languages they could better understand to guide their decisions. In Ghana, for example, the MFWA’s partnership with Media Alliance against COVID-19 misinformation saw about 10 million Ghanaians reached with fact-checked information/reports to counter the fake news mis/disinformation on COVID-19. In Guinea Conakry, Radio Djigui and other radio stations in the country developed series of interactive programmes to specifically debunk false information on the pandemic.

As the world continues to battle the pandemic, the MFWA urges radio workers to strive at all times to remain professional in the discharge of their duties; remain committed to the fight against fake news dis/misinformation on COVID-19 and continue to be resolute in the enterprise of democratic governance which include holding duty bearers accountable, ensuring equitable distribution of resources and participatory governance.

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