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Ghana’s Election 2020: NPP Most Abusive on Radio for the month of October

Kwaku Asante
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Ghana’s Election 2020: NPP Most Abusive on Radio for the month of October

The October edition of the Media Foundation for West Africa’s (MFWA) language monitoring has cited the governing National Patriotic Party (NPP) as the most abusive party on radio for the month of October.

The October language monitoring report cited specific individuals of the party including Hon. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, MP for Assin Central; Bernard Antwi Boasiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi, NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman; and Kwame Baffoe, also known as Abronye DC, NPP Bono Regional Chairman.

Other individuals cited in the report were Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, General Secretary of the major opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and Mugabe Maase, host of the Inside Politics programme on Accra-based Power FM.

Over the monitoring period (October 1-31), a total of 2,236 radio programmes were monitored on 40 selected radio stations across the country. The programmes monitored included news bulletins, and political/current affairs discussions aired on the 40 radio stations. A total of 81 indecent expressions were recorded by 45 individuals. The 81 indecent expressions were made up of Insulting and Offensive Comments; Unsubstantiated Allegations; Provocative Remarks; Expressions containing Prejudice and Bigotry. The 45 individuals who made the indecent expressions featured on the radio programmes as hosts, discussants/panelists, interviewees and callers.

The NPP recorded the highest number of indecent expressions (30) followed by the NDC with (19); the United Front Party (UFP) with six (6) and the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) with one (1) indecent expression.

Out of the 40 radio stations monitored, 16 recorded indecent expressions. Power FM located in Accra recorded the highest (15) indecent expressions on its afternoon political show titled Inside Politics. Accra-based Oman FM recorded (14) indecent expressions all on its evening political show titled Boiling Point. Ashh FM located in Kumasi recorded (14) indecent expressions all as a result of feeds it picked from Oman FM. Wontumi Radio based in Kumasi recorded (13) indecent expressions on its morning show. Accra FM recorded (6) indecent expressions across two programmes – Citizen Show (4) and Ghana Yjnsom (2) while Nkawkaw-based Obuoba FM and Fox FM based in Kumasi recorded five (5) indecent expressions each.

The language monitoring on radio project seeks to promote issues-based campaigning and use of decent language/expression before, during and after Ghana’s 2020 elections. In Ghana, the project is being implemented with funding support from the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA); and STAR Ghana Foundation with funding from UKAID and EU. The project is also being implemented in Cote d’Ivoire and Niger with funding support from OSIWA.

Details of the full report full report is available here.

The instrument being used for the monitoring, which contains the category definitions for the tracking and reporting of indecent language on radio, 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).

Winners Announced – West Africa Media Excellence Awards 2020

Kwaku Asante
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Winners Announced – West Africa Media Excellence Awards 2020

The West Africa Journalist of the Year 2020 is freelance journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni for his rousing reporting on waste of state funds and how it impacts on the ordinary people of Ghana.

His story, titled Grounded Wheels is an exposé on a hundred vehicles imported with public funds to help in critical areas of public service, left to rot for about 20 years due to flawed public procurement processes and incredible bureaucracy.

West Africa Journalist of the Year, Manasseh Azure Awuni holding his dummy check

“I am really honoured. I thank the organizers and hope that this will spur me on to keep doing the best that I can in my profession.  Awuni said in his acceptance speech.

This is the second time he has picked the coveted award. In 2018, he won with an anti-corruption story titled “Robbing the Assemblies”.

Awuni was one of the 20 finalists selected by a jury for outstanding and impactful reporting out of 740 entries from across the sub region. 

Cross section of some of the winners and finalists

The West Africa Media Excellence Awards honors exemplary work, in-depth investigations and exceptional storytelling. The Media Foundation of West Africa (MFWA) organisers of the awards invited about a 100 guests with all COVID-19 protocols observed to participate in the ceremony which climaxed WAMECA 2020.

Executive Director of the MFWA, Sulemana Braimah in his welcome address hoped “WAMECA awards will continue to inspire and motivate winners and at the same time inspire others to do more.”

 

Special Guest for the awards ceremony, UNESCO Country Representative to Ghana, Abdourahamane Diallo in his remarks said “while freedom of expression is encouraged, we also need to be responsible and culturally sensitive but let the truth out to inform society. Together I believe we will get journalism in Africa to the level we all want it to be in the future if we all play our parts in ensuring a safe society to practice the profession”

This year’s WAMECA which was a two-day event under the theme “The Future of Journalism in Africa” opened with a conference which featured renowned speakers from across Africa, who provided insights on key issues surrounding media and the future of journalism on the continent.

A panel-style discussion centred on three topics; Navigating Crisis: The Impact of COVID-19 on the Media in Africa, The Future of Journalism in Africa and Digitisation without Monetisation: Tech and Media Sustainability in Africa.

A panel at the conference discussing the Future of Journalism in Africa

The event was supported by The United States Embassy in Ghana, MTN Ghana, Stanbic Bank Ghana and Osiwa.

Here are the full lists of winners:

Category :West Africa Journalist of the Year

Winner: Manasseh Azure Awuni

Media House: Freelance

Country:  Ghana

 

Category: Investigative Reporting

Winner: ‘Fisayo Soyombo

Media House: The Cable/ICIR

Country:  Nigeria

 

Category: Environmental Reporting

Winner: Olatunji Ololade

Media House: The Nation Newspaper

Country:  Nigeria

 

Category: Anti-Corruption Reporting

Winner: Manasseh Azure Awuni

Media House: Freelance

Country:  Ghana

 

Category: Health  Reporting

Winner: Moussa Ngom

Media House : La Maison Des Reporters

Country:  Senegal

 

Category: ICT Reporting

Winner: Innocent Duru

Media House: Vintage Press Limited (Publishers of The Nation Newspaper)

Country:  Nigeria

 

Category: Business and SME Reporting   

Winner: Kelechukwu Iruoma

Media House: Ripples Nigeria

Country:  Nigeria

 

Category: Human Rights Reporting

Winner: Funke Busari

Media House: PREMIUM TIMES

Country:  Nigeria

 

 

 

The Biggest Journalism Event in West Africa Opens Friday November 13

Kwaku Asante
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The Biggest Journalism Event in West Africa Opens Friday November 13

The 2020 edition of the West Media Excellence Conference and Awards (WAMECA) is set to take place on the 13th– 14th November, 2020 in Accra, Ghana.  

The two-day event will be a combination of both virtual and in-person meetings and will host journalists, editors, media development experts, academics and representatives from public sector, civil society organisations and other regional and international organisations.

The theme for this year’s event is The Future of Journalism in Africa. This theme takes into consideration the various existing and emerging conditions including repressive political environment, worsening press freedom situations, financial sustainability issues of the media, technological changes that are impacting how journalism is practiced in Africa. The theme has become even more suitable considering the blow the COVID-19 pandemic has dealt the media industry this year compounding already existing challenges facing the sector.

The Conference will host Vera Kwakofi, Senior News Editor with BBC Africa Tv, and George Sarpong, Executive Secretary of the National Media Commission of Ghana as speakers.

Vera Kwakofi has over 15 years of experience in creating and delivering editorial strategies for multiple media platforms, as well as designing communications and brand strategies for Africa and other emerging markets. She is responsible for the programme teams that produce Africa Eye, Focus on Africa TV, BBC Swahili TV, Somali TV, BBC Afrique TV as well as Business, Health, Sport, Women and Children’s content for Africa.

George Sarpong is also a lawyer, journalist, and recognized industry leader in media and communications policy. In his role as Executive Secretary of Ghana’s National Media Commission, he oversees more than 360 radio stations, 80 registered newspapers, 25 television channels, and various online publications. He initiates and implements policies to ensure free, responsible, pluralistic, and diverse media.

Session Topics

There will be three panel discussions deliberating on the topics: Navigating Crisis: COVID-19 and the Media in Africa, The Future of Journalism in Africa and Digitisation without Monetization:Tech and Media Sustainability in Africa. These sessions which will host media owners, publishers and managers; distinguished digital marketing experts and celebrated journalists and editors who have in-depth experiences on the topics selected.

Session 1: Navigating Crisis: COVID-19 and the Media in Africa

This session will analyse the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the media as regards news gathering, distribution, journalists’ safety, public trust in the media, sustainability and media freedom among others.

The session will host the following personalities as panelists:

Khadija Patel is the former editor-in-chief of the Mail & Guardian, a co-founder of The Daily Vox and vice chairperson of the International Press Institute (IPI). As a journalist she has produced works for Sky News, Al Jazeera, The Guardian, Quartz, City Press and the Daily Maverick, among others. She is also a research associate at WISER (Wits Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of Witwatersrand).

Bernard Koku Avle is an awarding winning broadcast journalist and General manager at Citi FM/Citi TV, one of Ghana’s most influential media organisations. He is the founding director of iJourno Africa, an initiative which trains and creates opportunities for participants to practice citizen journalism and equip them with tools to cover local issues.

Simon Martha Mkina is an award-winning Tanzania investigative journalist, renowned editor, columnist, media trainer and critic. He’s currently the President of the Tanzania Media Practitoners Association (TAMPA) and has been freelancing for various national and international media outlets including ICIJ.

Baye Oumar Gueye is a professional journalist and General Manager of Sud FM, the first private media house in Senegal. Baye has over 20 years of experience in communication, Journalism, and news production. He has grown through the ranks of Sud FM where he has been reporter, head of desk, chief editor, and since 2015 General Manager. Baye holds a master degree in human resource management from the Bordeaux School of Management, and a degree in Journalism from the Senegalese Institute of Technology and Communication.

Session 2: The Future of Journalism in Africa

This session will delve into the new business models news organizations can explore to remain financially sustainable. The session will also assess the impact of the political climate in Africa on freedom of expression, press freedom and journalists’ safety and wellbeing. It will as well explore role of content in elevating the standards of journalism in Africa among others.

The session will host the following personalities as panelists:

Dapo Olorunyomi is currently the publisher of Nigeria’s leading investigative news platform, Premium Times [www.premiumtimesng.com].He has previously served as the pioneer policy director and chief of staff at Nigeria’s leading anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. His work as editor during the years of military dictatorship in Nigeria earned him the 1995 International Editor of the Year Award of the World Press Review; and the 1996 PEN Center Award.

Selay Marius Kouassi is an award-winning Journalist, a non-fiction writer and media trainer. 

Throughout his career, Selay has maintained a highest interest in in-depth investigative reports and human-interest stories. His works have received international notice and spurred political leaders, civil society and global decision-makers to take action in Côte d’Ivoire and beyond. Selay has been freelancing for various international media outlets, including The Guardian, DPA (German Press Agency), SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation) and BBC. He moderates and facilitates local and international conferences occasionally. He is a part-time trainer for the ‘Wealth of Nations’ ; a programme run by the Thomson Reuters Foundation to investigate tax abuse and illicit financial flows from and in Africa. He is also a trainer at Côte d’Ivoire Investig@tes; a non-profit Ivorian Investigative collective and think-tank he helped established. He is co-founder and member of the AIPC (African Investigative Publishing Collective) and member of FAIR (Forum for African Investigative Reporters).

Churchill Otieno is the President of Kenya Editors Guild and also Head of Development and Learning at Nation Media Group Plc, one of the largest media houses in East and Central Africa, where he is responsible for building www.nation.africa as a platform for journalism excellence in Africa.

Samba Dialimpa Badji is a Senegalese media professional of great repute who has worked with several local and international media organisations in his brilliant career. Samba Badji was a Senior Producer for the French Service of the BBC from March 2010 – November 2014. He also worked for Radio France International. As a freelance media specialist, he has conducted several training programmes for journalists across the world. Currently, Samba Badji is the Deputy Editor of the French version of the fact-checking platform, Africa Check and a lecturer at the Ecole Superieue de Journalisme des métiers de I’internet et de la Communication (Ejicom).

Session 3: Digitisation without Monetization:Tech and Media Sustainability in Africa

For centuries traditional advertising revenue was the main funding model that supported and sustained the legacy media to function. However, this model is rapidly declining following the advent of the new media that has come with Tech giants like Google, Facebook and YouTube who are providing different advertising options to businesses and media audience

The declining advertising revenues as a result of Tech giants like Google, Facebook etc has forced the mainstream media to experiment with different digital transformation strategies in reaching audiences as well as garnering revenue to sustain the process of news production. The session will assess the impact of the media and Tech giants on the advertising revenues of your media organisation and explore some of the digital strategies and new models that are effective in sustaining the media.

The session will host the following personalities as panelists:

Olave Orawo is a Kenyan based Digital Marketing strategist with a demonstrated history of working in the media industry. Currently the Editorial Marketing Manager at one of Africa’s Biggest music services, Mdundo Ltd, Olave has built visibility for several local and international brands with her speciality in content and strategy for digital marketing.
Olave Orawo is responsible for building Mdundo News as a blog dedicated to solely consolidate all music entertainment news in Africa; with top notch credibility observing ethical journalistic practices.

Léonce Gamaï is a Benin-based journalist, co-founder and General Manager of Banouto Media an online investigative and current affairs media outlet. Under his leadership, Banouto became, in the space of three years, the number one online media outlet in Benin. Léonce has won several investigative journalism awards and participated in several competitive media development programmes. In 2018, he graduated as the top student of the “Journalism for Development” programme implemented by the World Bank in partnership with the School of Journalism ESJ in Lille, France and CESTI, in Dakar, Senegal.

Sena Quarshie joined Ringier Africa in the Ghana office in 2014 to start Pulse.com.gh. Sena has since then worked across different business units in Ringier Africa and is currently Director of Digital Strategy, leading the integrated Ringier offering in digital marketing and business development for the media platform. Sena is a creative individual, with nearly a decade of experience in media, advertising and related industries. Having worked in communications & brand management, Sena was recently head of Play Studio Ghana, the creative arm of Ringier Africa Digital Publishing (RADP) and is a vanguard of excellence in Ghana’s business field.

Rodney Sieh is the founder, editor and publisher of the   Front Page Africa, one of Africa’s most respected news outlet based in Liberia. In 2019, Sieh received the International Press Freedom Prize. In 2014, He was named amongst Reporters Without Boarders’ “100 Information Heroes” and his media organization, Front Page Africa, received TV5 Monde Prize for Press Freedom.

Awards Ceremony

The Awards Ceremony which will honour journalists who have produced outstanding works that are impacting lives will be held on the 14th of November, 2020.

Twenty(20) journalists were shortlisted out of 740 entries  received across West Africa. The winners will be  announced at a ceremony to be held at Alisa hotel Ghana.

Join the conversation by registering here. Also follow the event on all our social media pages.

West Africa Media Excellence Conference and Awards (WAMECA 2020 is supported by MTN-Ghana, the US Embassy in Ghana, OSIWA and Stanbic Bank. The event is also supported by about 65 media partners across West Africa.

West Africa Media Excellence Awards 2020: List of Finalists

Kwaku Asante
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West Africa Media Excellence Awards 2020: List of Finalists

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has announced the list of finalists for the 2020 edition of the prestigious West Africa Media Excellence Awards (WAMECA 2020).

This year’s event will be held on Saturday, November 14, at the Swiss Spirit Alisa Hotel, Accra, Ghana and will be graced by media experts, high-level personalities and delegates from sub-regional bodies and civil society groups.

The 2020 West Africa Media Excellence Awards received 740 entries from 13 countries in West Africa. The five-member jury after a thorough review of the entries shortlisted 20 finalists from six countries.

The shortlisted finalists for WAMECA 2020 are:

Moussa Ngom, La Maison Des Reporters, Senegal

Olatunji Ololade, The Nation Newspaper, Nigeria

Sawadogo Delvende Elza Sandrine Clotilde, L’Economiste du Faso, Burkina Faso

Kebba Ansu Manneh, The Chronicle Newspaper, The Gambia

Adwoa Adobea-Owusu, TV3, Ghana

Fisayo Soyombo, The Cable / ICIR, Nigeria

Elom Kossi Attissogbe, La Nouvelle Tribune, Togo

Oladimeji Ramon, The Punch Newspaper, Nigeria

Nombré  Souaibou, Les Editions Sidwaya, Burkina Faso

Beryl Ernestina Richter, Joy News, Ghana

Innocent Duru, The Nation Newspaper, Nigeria

Baguiri Chamszou-Dinner, Radio Arzèkè, Benin

Akodia Ezékiel Ada, L’Observateur Paalga, Burkina Faso

Kelechukwu Iruoma, Ripples Nigeria, Nigeria

Manasseh Azure Awuni, Freelance Journalist, Ghana

Kemi Busari, PREMIUM TIMES, Nigeria

Yvette Zongo, Les Éditions Lefaso, Burkina Faso

Solomon Joojo Cobbinah, Joy News, Ghana

Funke Busari, PREMIUM TIMES, Nigeria

Dimitri Ouedraogo, Lefaso.net, Burkina Faso

The winners for the various categories including the West African Journalist of the Year will be announced at the Awards event.

All finalists will receive a Certificate of Merit. Ultimate winners will receive plaques, certificates and cash prizes.

All 20 finalists will also be inducted as fellows of the MFWA’s Journalism for Change Network and will be offered regular training opportunities both locally and internationally to enhance their capacity to influence positive change in society through journalism.

West Africa Media Excellence Conference and Awards (WAMECA 2020 is supported by MTN-Ghana, the US Embassy in Ghana, OSIWA and Stanbic Bank. The event is also supported by about 65 media partners across West Africa.

Join the  2020 West Africa Media Excellence Awards by registering here. Also follow the event on all our social media pages.

For more details on the event, visit www.mfwa.org/wameca.

Cote d’Ivoire Election 2020: A Tensed Pre-electoral Climate, Polarised Media Organisations

Kwaku Asante
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Cote d’Ivoire Election 2020: A Tensed Pre-electoral Climate, Polarised Media Organisations

Tomorrow, Ivorians will head to the polls to elect their President. The election is being organised in a context marred by series of sporadic violence which has already claimed several lives. These developments came as Alassane Ouattara, the President announced his bid for a third term in office on July 8, 2020 following the death of his designated successor Amadou Gon Coulibaly.

The eruption of public protests against Ouattara’s third mandate sparked several intercommunity violence which have already claimed 67 lives as of October 24, 2020. The violence also leads to the destruction of several public and private properties across the country.

Despite such a tensed context, it appears that the elections will be held on October 31. Amidst such a context the media is expected to play its roles consisting of informing the public. However, the media landscape in Côte d’Ivoire appears to be traditionally polarised and affiliated to political parties.

Uncertainty Surrounding the Election

The socio-political unrest witnessed in Cote d’Ivoire is not only due to Alassane Ouattara’s bid for a third term in office. In fact, the opposition block, which is made up of the Ivorian Democratic Party (PDCI), the Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) and Democracy and Sovereignty (EDS), is also against the electoral process and the established framework which should regulate the organisation of the election. This situation compounded with protests against the candidacy of Ouattara, and violent intercommunity clashes, resulted into uncertainties and scepticism over the date of the election.

Guillaume Soro, former rebel leader, and former Speaker of Parliament, currently exiled in France declared last September that “there will not be an election on 31 October in Côte d’Ivoire.” Furthermore, during an interview with RFI and France 24, Pascal Affi N’Guessan, who is the spokesperson of the opposition block and presidential candidate declared “for us there is no election on October 31”.

Of the three opposition candidates running against the incumbent President Alassane Ouattara, two of them, Henri Konan Bédié of the PDCI-GDR and Pascal Affi N’Guessan of the FPI have, in a bid to protest against the candidacy of Alassane Ouattara, who has already been in office for two consecutive terms, called for “civil disobedience”.

Despite the dialogue series initiated by ECOWAS with major political actors, many are still not sure whether the election will hold on October 31 despite the government’s call on the opposition to “put an immediate halt to the civil disobedience.” It seems clear that the country is moving towards an election with an uncertain future. An electoral epilogue in which if the current President emerges victorious, would suffer from illegitimacy. The Ivorian population, already divided and still rebuilding its social fabric after the civil war that marked the country in 2010, would be more devastated.

“Postponing the election for a short period of time would offer a chance put an end through dialogue to the current confrontation and disputes that makes it unlikely that a peaceful and transparent election will be held on October 31” said International Crisis Group.

Although the opposition is bent on its position against the third mandate bid of the president and refuses to take part in the electoral process, it remains open to dialogue under the auspices of ECOWAS to put an end to the crisis in the country.

“Candidates Henri Konan Bédié and Affi N’Guessan are calling on ECOWAS to continue its mediation efforts in the Ivorian conflict” said Maurice Kakou Guikahué, executive secretary of PDCI, in a statement.

Intercommunity violence and the Electoral Campaign 

The electoral campaign, which began on October 15, has run out of steam on the side of the ruling party following the death on October 23 of Sidiki Diakité, Minister of Decentralisation. However, before the unfortunate event, several demonstrations and intense intercommunity clashes broke out in the country.

On October 19, 2020, in Bonoua, a town considered to be the stronghold of Simone Gbagbo, the wife of former President Laurent Gbagbo, one person was killed by security forces, according to local authorities. “There was one dead, a young man named Morel and a dozen seriously injured,” Jean Paul Améthier, mayor of Bonoua, told the international press.

On the same day in Abidjan, during a protest organised against university fees by the Students Federation of Ivory Coast (FESCI) considered to be close to the opposition, clashes erupted between the students and some “attackers”.

 Two days before, on October 17, intercommunity clashes broke out in the town of Bongouanou, the capital of the Moronou region, about 200km north of Abidjan.

 In the city, considered the stronghold of FPI candidate Pascal Affi N’Guessan and  former prime minister of Laurent Gbagbo, people were reportedly killed in clashes linked to the ‘civil disobedience’.

 The recent clashes extend the list of other violence recorded in August, in which at least a dozen people were killed and several injured.

Difficulty in accessing information and polarised media organisations

The private press in Côte d’Ivoire is usually backed by politicians, and the state-owned media is considered to be the government’s tool for propaganda. For the upcoming presidential election, the media regulatory body assured all candidates of equal access to state-owned media outlets and to ensure the compliance of media workers to professional standards.

“The High Authority for Audio-visual Communication (HACA) and the National Press Authority (ANP) will guarantee equal access to official media including online outlets, and state-owned media organisations. HACA will also monitor media organisations to ensure regular fairness in communications from the candidates” said Sidi Tiémoko Touré, government spokesperson, after a cabinet meeting on 19 August 2020.

However, many citizens believe that access to public media is difficult for opposition parties. According Mamadou Koulibaly, member of the opposition and former Speaker of Parliament and president of Lider (Freedom and Democracy for the Republic) “everything must be done to ensure the rule of law, political freedoms, freedom of expression and access to state media, which should not be solely the propaganda tool of governments,”.

Regulating the media during an electoral campaign

The National Press Authority (ANP) and the High Authority for Audio-visual Communication (HACA) are stepping up their efforts to ensure fair access to media and guarantee impartial processing and dissemination of information on the Presidential election slated for October 31.

On Tuesday 15 September 2020, Members of the High Authority for Audio-visual Communication (HACA) met during a special session to adopt number of decisions to enable state owned and private media outlets to provide fair coverage of the election.

“Following the official launch of the electoral campaign on October 15, 2020, the state media must ensure, in the programming of news, reports, debates and special programmes dedicated to the campaign, a strict compliance with principles of equal access to all stakeholders and guarantee a neutral processing of information on candidates, parties, political groups and interest groups.”

The HACA also decided that non-commercial private radio stations should “remain prohibited from producing, programming and broadcasting politically related programmes. Therefore, they cannot cover or report on campaign related activities.”

The National Press Authority (ANP) has also adopted on September 17 provision No. 002/ANP, which regulates information on media during the pre-campaign period.

On October, 9 2020, the National Press Authority (NPC) summoned state owned media outlets Fraternité Matin, fratmat.info, and the Ivorian news agency aip.ci, and urged them to adopt and implement the decision No.004/ANP/SG which regulates equal access to media organisations by all candidates to the presidential election and to adopt the framework regulating election coverage which stipulates that all candidates must be treated equally in a media environment.

On August 18, during the presentation of a monitoring exercise results, Zio Moussa, President of the Observatory for Press Freedom and Ethics (OLPED) said “one reason that could explain the unprofessional processing of information by media outlets is the influence exerted on medias organisations by the politicians who support them”.

Among the violations of the media code of ethics by journalists, Zio Moussa cited insults, incitements to revolt, violence, war, and sometimes even to murder. These were recorded on ten newspapers monitored for a month. Other observations were the massive usage of inadequate expressions, words of hatred, and contempt. Developments before October 31 presidential election in Cote d’Ivoire forecast a climate marred by physical and verbal violence.In an effort to turn the tide and preserve peace in Côte d’Ivoire, MFWA makes the following recommendations to all stakeholders:

To the Media:

  • Preach peace before, during, and after the elections;
  • Raise awareness and urge citizen to reject acts of violence;
  • Urge politicians to preach peace and reject inflammatory expressions during political debates.

To the Political Parties:

  • Give priority to inclusive dialogue;
  • Respond favourably and actively participate in mediation talks by ECOWAS;
  • Urge supporters to reject acts of intercommunity violence.

To Civil Society practitioners:

  • Urge political parties to dialogue and maintain peace;
  • Be impartial in the process of national dialogue.
  • Mediate between the opposition and the government by strengthening the country’s national platforms for dialogue, peace and stability.

New Dawn for Sierra Leone’s Media as President Assents New Law Repealing Criminal Libel

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New Dawn for Sierra Leone’s Media as President Assents New Law Repealing Criminal Libel

What has for decades seemed impossible for the media and journalism in the West African nation of Sierra Leone has finally become a pulsating reality as President Julius Maada Bio on October 28, 2020 officially assented a new law that repeals Criminal Libel.

The Presidential assent comes three months after the Parliament of Sierra Leone on July 23, 2020 unanimously approved the Independent Media Commission (IMC) Act 2020 and repealed the 1965 Public Order Act (POA) that criminalized libel and sedition.

Speaking during the official programme held at State House in Freetown to mark the formal repeal of the 1965 law, President Julius Maada Bio said he was delighted to have delivered on a key campaign promise

“As previous speakers have indicated, my Government made a firm manifesto commitment to repeal the 55-year-old criminal seditious libel law – (Part V of the Public Order Act of 1965). We followed through in cabinet and as a Government, we have made history. For more than half a century, we had a legislative and governance regime that criminalised journalism. Successive governments had failed to abolish this law that threatened civil liberties and had been abused over the course of half a century  by successive governments.’’

The president added “Bad governments foster a climate of silence and fear. They prevent scrutiny of their tenure or their actions as leaders. But we have made a commitment to the people of Sierra Leone that we will foster a culture of good governance and accountability. We therefore made a firm commitment from the outset that we will remove all laws that chill free speech.’’ President Bio said.

Sierra Leone is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) of both which commit governments to  uphold the right to free expression. Additionally, Section 25 of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone guarantees press freedom and freedom of expression. In its annual reports, the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone has been recommending that the criminal libel law be expunged from the laws. The Constitutional Review Committee and the report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of 2004 also strongly recommended for the Criminal Libel Law to be removed.

The repeal of the Criminal Libel Law has been enthusiastically welcomed by all the stakeholders. Former President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists, Umaru Fofana, who was among the key champions of the struggle to get the law repealed, wrote on his Facebook account “I am pleased to live to see this day. I feel like I have been born again. Thank you to all those who fought the good fight especially SLAJ and civil society. Thank you President Bio for this and to your information Minister for leading the process. Thank your parliament for legislating it. All four political parties in the House did great. I wish Richie Olu Gordon were alive to see this day’’

President of Sierra Leone Association of Journalists, Ahmed Sahid Nasralla in his statement confessed that he still doesn’t believe this is happening and heaped praises on President Bio.

“They say there is no courage without fear. As a politician I know that you [Mr. President] also share in the fear that this repeal might expose you to insults, abuse and vilification. But the fact that you have mustered the bravery to do it, shows me, that only a man who enters the military profession, knowing fully well, that he may have to go into battle, face bullets and bombs and may die, that can have the courage to do this, ‘’ SLAJ President said.

In an op-ed, the British High Commissioner in Sierra Leone, Simon Mustard, wrote; “It is a day that should be celebrated for media freedom and by all Sierra Leoneans. Congratulations to everyone involved in this great achievement.

The diplomat added “Experience from around the world shows that an independent media encourages greater investment, from home and overseas, as it gives investors access to accurate data and information. It also allows greater participation by the people in political and economic debate, which can inform and influence policy making.”

MFWA welcomes this new development in the media landscape in Sierra Leone.  We salute the untiring efforts of all journalists, media organisations and human rights activists who fought over the decades for the repeal of the Criminal Libel Law. The MFWA also commends the government of President Maada Bio for making good its promise to amend the Public Order Act to remove its repressive elements and promote press freedom and freedom of expression in Sierra Leone. We reiterate our call on the media in Sierra Leone to jealously guard the new-found freedom by demonstrating greater professionalism. The removal of this legal restraint should lead to noticeable improvement in the output of the media in terms of ensuring greater accountability, promoting citizens’ participation in governance and generally focussing on the real issues that have direct bearing on the daily lives of the people.

Guinea Bissau: New Government, Old Repressive Attitude towards the Media

Kwaku Asante
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Guinea Bissau: New Government, Old Repressive Attitude towards the Media

Freedom of the press and of expression received some impetus with the advent of democracy in 1994 when the first presidential elections were held with General Joao Bernardo Vieira emerging victorious. The national radio, the RDN and the Nö Pintcha Journal were the only state news organizations that had held a news monopoly since independence in 1974. With the advent of democracy followed the emergence of the private press, notably with radio Pindjiquiti and the newspaper Diario de Bissau.

The newspaper sector however, has been relatively sluggish. Owing to the economic crisis in which the country has been stuck since its accession to independence, coupled with the lack of readers due to a high percentage of illiteracy, the newspapers appear only on a weekly basis. The media in general is prone to self-censorship as a result of the absence of a democratic culture.

 With average monthly salaries of only 25,000 CFA francs (about USD50) journalists are forced to openly join political parties in order to be able to meet their daily needs. The salaries of journalists are so low that it is still difficult to guarantee freedom of the press and of expression.

The 2020 presidential elections were marked by an electoral dispute which reached its climax with the appeal for annulment of the second round of the ballot. On February 27, shortly after the confirmation of his victory with 53.5% of the votes cast, Umaro Sissoco was sworn into office as head of state. The losing party also inaugurated a rival president, who resigned a few days later citing threats on his life.

The national radio and television broadcaster which refused to cover both inaugurations in view of a pending legal challenge to the election results, paid a heavy price for its principled stand. Soldiers suspected to be loyal to Umaro Sissoco stormed the premises of the broadcast organisation, evacuated the staff and shut down both the national radio and television channels.   Subsequently, the new government sacked the directors of the two media outlets.

These early signals raised concerns about possible repression of press freedom under the new administration. Unfortunately, events over the past four months appear to confirm the initial fears.

On July 26, the capital radio station, which broadcasts an interactive daily program allowing the public to express themselves on political, economic, social and current affairs, was ransacked and silenced. The station offers one of the most uninhibited platforms for critical assessment of governance and public service delivery.

“The group totally destroyed the Radio equipment, transmitter, computers, mixing console and studio chairs,” the radio station announced through a statement signed by its Executive Director, Lansana Cassama. The station added that “this act occurred after several threats were made against Radio Capital FM which were reported in due time to the appropriate authorities.”

Following the attack, the Interior Minister, Botchá Candé visited the offices of the ransacked station and promised the management that thorough investigations would be conducted into the incident. In solidarity with the besieged media outlet, thirty private radio stations in the capital suspended their broadcasts for 24 hours. Nevertheless, three months after the incident, no redress is in sight.

In August 2020, a critical blogger, Danilson Ferreira, was arrested, beaten up and thrown into the cells of the Judicial Police for a week. Upon his release, Ferreira left the country to take refuge in Lisbon, Portugal.

On the night of October 6, 2020, a group of unidentified armed men picked up Kéba Sané and Carlos Sambou, two bloggers who are fierce critics of Sissoco regime. The bloggers subsequently reported that their captors were led by Trcherno Bari, the head of President Umaro Sissoco security, and that they were subjected to physical abuse at the premises of the presidential palace. The government has denied the allegations and promised to investigate the reported kidnapping.

Following these incidents, Guinea Bissau’s Human Rights League (LGDH) accused the Interior Ministry of sowing terror and violating the fundamental principles of the rule of law and democracy by sending security officers to kidnap, beat and detain two bloggers. The LGDH added that, it held President Sissoco morally responsible for the kidnapping.

Adao Ramalho, a journalist with Capital Radio and the private Bombolom FM radio station, is facing threats of legal action from Maquilo Bayo, the Press Secretary of the Minister of Interior. The journalist had reported he had information about systematic sexual harassment of newly recruited women into the police and armed forces. Bayo has denied the accusation and threatened to sue the journalist and the director of Bombolom FM radio if they do not provide evidence to back their claims. The journalists however insist that the report is based on information from victims whose identities cannot be disclosed.

Souleymane Gassama, a Bissau-Guinean lawyer, complained that “freedom of the press and of expression are seriously challenged in Guinea-Bissau”. According to him, “the state continues to flout the rules guaranteeing freedom of the press and of expression, to the point of compromising the democratic rule of law.”

The Media Foundation for West Africa is deeply concerned about these recent attacks on press freedom in Guinea Bissau and calls on the authorities to take steps to stem the tide of repression. The seeming lack of progress regarding investigations into the attack on Radio Capital three months on, is unacceptable especially when the perpetrators allegedly wore police uniforms, thus implicating the police service. We therefore urge the government to ensure that investigations into that incident and subsequent ones highlighted in this report are thorough and decisive, leading to the arrest of the perpetrators.

Guinea Bissau, like many developing countries, faces very daunting challenges with economic development, democratic consolidation and national cohesion. The government needs the support of the media to be able to mobilise the population for a successful fight against the challenges.  Consequently, the MFWA urges the government of President Sissoco to warm up to the media and make it an ally in its efforts to tackle the myriad socio-economic problems confronting Guinea Bissau.

 

Ghanaweb.com Tops Violation of Media Ethics for September

Kwaku Asante
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Ghanaweb.com Tops Violation of Media Ethics for September

Ghanaweb.com is the worst perpetrator of media ethics violations for the period of September 1-15. The news website recorded 52 ethical violations to top 25 other media organisations who are being monitored by the Media Foundation for West Africa under its media ethics monitoring project.

Ghanaweb.com was followed by two pro-partisan radio stations, Power FM and Oman FM. Pro-NDC’s Power FM which recorded 34 violations was immediately followed by Pro-NPP’s Oman FM with 31 violations. Hot FM also followed with 21 ethical violations

Over the two-week period (September 1-15), a total of 962 media content were monitored on the 26 selected media organisations which are made up of 10 Akan language broadcasting radio stations, 10 newspapers and six news websites. Out of 962 media content, 149 ethical violations were recorded on 13 media organisations.

Out of the total 149 ethical violations recorded, 92 (62%) were recorded on radio stations. News websites recorded 55 violations (37%), with the remaining two (2) violations (1%) recorded in Newspapers.

Power FM’s afternoon political talk show, Inside Politics, which is hosted by Mugabe Maase, recorded the highest number of violations (18) during the period of monitoring. This was followed by Oman FM’s morning show, National Agenda, hosted by Yaw Amofa, with 12 violations. Oman FM’s afternoon political talk show, Boiling Point, which is hosted by Kwabena Kwakye, recorded the third highest violations – nine (9).  

Power FM’s afternoon political talk show, Battle Ground, followed with seven (7) violations. The show is hosted by Oheneba Boamah Bennie. Power FM’s morning show, Dwaboase, hosted by Kwame Minkah and Hot FM’s political talk show, Dwene Ho Biom, hosted by Boamah Darko recorded six (6) violations each.

The monitoring of media ethics is part of a project titled: Enhancing Media Professionalism to Inspire Public Confidence and Support or Press Freedom in Ghana. The objective of the project is to identify and highlight incidents of ethical infractions in the Ghanaian media 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 and the names of the media outlets that violated those principals among other findings. Kindly click here to access the 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 Programme Manager, Abigail Larbi (0244867047), or Programme Officer, Kwaku Krobea Asante (0249484528).

#EndSARS Protests Cause Extensive Press Freedom, Freedom of Expression Violations 

Kwaku Asante
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#EndSARS Protests Cause Extensive Press Freedom, Freedom of Expression Violations 

The Media Foundation for West Africa’s (MFWA) monitoring of the #EndSARS protests in Nigeria has recorded at least 12 protesters killed, several journalists assaulted by security forces, with five media outlets reportedly attacked by suspected hoodlums.

The protests against police brutality have ballooned into demonstrations making broader demands for an end to bad governance, corruption, unemployment and a deteriorating economy.

On October 11, 2020, the police arrested Gimba Kakanda, a reporter with the Daily Trust in Abuja and manhandled him at the police station. Kakanda reported that the police deflated the tyres of his car and threatened to shoot him.

On same the same day, Ferdinand Duruoha and Francis Ogbonna, both of ARISE TV, Abuja were brutalised by security officers. In a video clip, Duruoha narrated that he and his colleague were interviewing protesters live on Twitter when they were attacked by policemen. In the process, Ogbonna was hit on the head with batons while his camera was broken. He was later taken to the hospital for treatment.

Two other journalists from The Punch Newspapers, Segun Odunayo and Femi Dawodu, were also assaulted by the police on October 21, while they were covering the protest at the Alausa area in Lagos.

According to Odunayo, about 20 policemen assaulted him and Dawodu for over two hours for doing live videos of the security forces assault of the protesters. Odunayo told MFWA that despite showing them their identification cards, the police officers kept on assaulting them and even threatening to shoot at them.

“They didn’t want the people to see how they were brutalising protesters. So they asked us to go live on our newspaper’s Facebook page and tell Nigerians that no protester was beaten. Of course, we insisted that we would never do that – because we saw protesters being beaten. Our stubbornness got them furious, so they started to assault us,” Odunayo narrated. “They seized our cameras and smartphones, and stripped us of our clothes to see if we had hidden cameras on our bodies.

Odunayo said the police took him and his two other colleagues to the DPO’s office. The police spokesperson who was asked by the DPO to receive the journalists, apologised for the assault and ordered his colleagues to return the seized cameras and phones.

However, the police spokesperson in Lagos, Muyiwa Adejobi, has denied that any journalists were brutalised.

“We have intervened in the matter. I advise journalists who want to be covering events live to link up with the DPOs or Area Commanders on the ground. The Punch men have been accordingly advised and the matter has been settled. No one brutalised them,” Adejobi told MFWA reacted via a text message.

On October 23, a group of overzealous police officers brutalised Akpokona Omafuaire, a reporter/photojournalist with Vanguard Newspapers at Ekete, Udu area in Delta State.

The Sunday Vanguard reports that the policemen were among security agents deployed in the area to implement a 48-hour curfew to curb the #EndSARS protest violence. The police officers reportedly whipped the journalist, cut with a cutlass and hit him with the butt of a gun. Akpokona, who was on his way to an official assignment, had his car damaged by the police as well.

Media outlets burned

Meanwhile, four media houses have been set on fire and three others vandalised since the outbreak of the violent protests. On October 21, during the curfew declared in Lagos, the offices of three media outlets in the commercial capital were torched by suspected hoodlums who went on the rampage, destroying public and private property.

The media outlets that were torched in include Television Continental and The Nation Newspapers both reportedly linked to Bola Ahmed Tinubu, national Chairman of the ruling All Progressive Congress, Nigeria’s ruling party. The others are Channels Television and the public-owned Osun State Broadcasting Corporation in Osogbo, Osun State.

Footages shared by journalists working at the media houses showed newsrooms set ablaze with properties like laptops and printers looted. Journalists were seen running for their lives in some of the videos that surfaced online.

Africa Independent Television and Ray Power Radio were forced to suspend broadcasting following similar attacks.

The authorities blame the religious organisations and the media for the violence. The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, says the escalation is “from radio and television programs, in which bile is spewed. From talk shows which become a harangue of government, newspaper articles and columns tailored to instigate and generate dissent, and the like.”

12 protesters killed in Lagos

On October 20, the governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, declared a 24-hour curfew, saying that some hoodlums had hijacked the peaceful protests. In spite of the curfew, protesters gathered at the Lekki Tollgate, a growing middle-class area in the city and an epicentre of the #EndSARS protests. The protesters sat on the ground and as it got darker, witnesses said the streetlights were switched off and CCTVs removed by some persons, a move suspected to have been ordered by the authorities.

As this happened, an eyewitness Shola Adenekan, said he saw about a dozen vans arriving with police and soldiers at around 7 pm, and started shooting.

“They cornered us before they started shooting. We didn’t provoke them,” Adenekan told MFWA.

A live video streamed by a popular disc jockey, DJ Switch, also showed several wounded people lying on the ground.

The Nigerian Army has denied deploying soldiers to the Lekki Tollgate and has described the videos of the killings as “photoshopped.”

State governor, Sanwo-Olu, however, insists that soldiers were deployed and that 30 protesters were injured and were being treated in hospitals, with only one person dead from gunshot injuries. But media reports quoting eye witnesses say that at least 12 protesters have died from attacks by security forces in Lagos.

Amnesty International also mentioned 12 protesters killed, adding that it had received “credible but disturbing evidence of excessive use of force occasioning deaths of protesters at Lekki tollgate.”

President Buhari addressed the country on October 22, but failed to mention the killings at Lekki which have generated international condemnation from the United States, the United Kingdom, the International Criminal Court, and the African Union, among others.

World leaders like the US presidential candidate Joe Biden, former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Ghanaian president Nana Akufo-Addo, and celebrities have also called for calm and urged President Buhari to dialogue with the protesters.

#EndSARS protests

The #EndSARS demonstrations started on October 8 a few days after operatives of the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police Force allegedly shot a youth in Ughelli, a town in oil-rich Delta State in Nigeria.

The police denied shooting the youth, despite video evidence which went viral on social media. The person who made the video was also arrested, causing massive outrage that sparked street demonstrations characterised by violence from the police and protesters alike.

The incident sparked calls by Nigerian youths as it was notorious for extortions, killings and brutality. The calls to disband the repressive police unit were tagged with the hashtag #EndSARS on Twitter. Other hashtags created for the movement include #EndPoliceBrutality, #ReformThePolice

The movement soon gained traction, with celebrities in Nigeria and abroad lending their voices to it. Protests grew in several cities and online, particularly Twitter, whose CEO, Jack Dorsey, also expressed support for the movement and called for donations to the cause.

Three days after the protest, President Muhammadu Buhari, an ex-military ruler in the 1980s, disbanded the SARS. But as the government quickly announced the creation of a similar police unit called Special Weapons and Tactics team (SWAT) and there was no word on prosecuting SARS operatives who allegedly committed killings and extortions, protesters got angrier and continued demonstrating, which encompassed larger demands like an end to bad governance and lack of accountability.

The right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression are essential human rights and core democratic principles. Consequently, MFWA strongly condemns the use of excessive force by security forces who fired at on unarmed demonstrators in Lagos, causing death and injury.  Those involved should be held to account in accordance with the law. We also condemn the attacks on media houses and journalists by protesters and security forces respectively. We call on the authorities to investigate these press freedom violations and punish the perpetrators.

Finally, MFWA urges the security forces to show maximum restraint, to respect fundamental rights and protect peaceful demonstrators, while we call on the demonstrators to avoid excesses.

Abusive Language on Radio: Chairman Wontumi, Kennedy Agyapong Maintain Top Spot for the Month of September

Kwaku Asante
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Abusive Language on Radio: Chairman Wontumi, Kennedy Agyapong Maintain Top Spot for the Month of September

The September edition of the Media Foundation for West Africa’s (MFWA) Language monitoring on radio has cited Bernard Antwi Boasiako also known as Chairman Wontumi, NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman as the most abusive individual on radio. Others cited were Hon. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, MP for Assin Central and Mugabe Maase, host of Power FM’s Inside Politics.

It is worth noting that, Agyapong and Chairman Wontumi’s ownership of Oman FM and Wontumi Radio respectively, gives them unfettered access to these platforms. Regrettably, they have persistently used the opportunity to utter abusive remarks.

Over the monitoring period (September 1-30), a total of 1,586 radio programmes were monitored on 20 selected radio stations across the country. The programmes included news bulletins, and political/current affairs discussions aired on the 20 radio stations. A total of 78 indecent expressions were recorded by 41 individuals.

The 78 indecent expressions are made up of Insulting and Offensive comments; Unsubstantiated allegations; Threats; Provocative remarks; Expressions or Comments promoting Divisiveness and Comments inciting violence. The 41 individuals who made the indecent expressions featured on the radio programmes as hosts, discussants/panelists, interviewees, callers and texters.

The NPP within this period recorded the highest number of indecent expressions (34) followed by the NDC with (10), the PPP (2), the GCPP (1) and the United Front Party (UFP) recorded 1 indecent expression.

12 out of the 20 radio stations monitored recorded indecent expressions. Kumasi-based Wontumi Radio recorded the highest (22) indecent expressions on its morning show. Accra-based Oman FM recorded (19) indecent expressions across four programmes – Boiling Point (14), National Agenda (3), Evening News (1) and Dialogue (1). Ashh FM, also based in Kumasi, recorded (11) indecent expressions across three programmes – Boiling Point (9), Keynote (1) and Dialogue (1). Tain FM in Nsawkaw and Accra FM recorded (10) indecent expressions each over the period. Power FM also based in Accra, recorded 8 indecent expressions – 7 on its afternoon political show titled, Inside Politics and 1 on its Morning Show titled, Dwaboase.

The language monitoring project seeks to promote issues-based campaigning and use of decent language/expression before, during and after Ghana’s 2020 elections. The project which is also being implemented in Cote d’Ivoire and Niger is with funding support from OSIWA.

Details of the full report is available here

The instrument being used for the monitoring, which contains the category definitions for tracking and reporting of indecent language on radio is also available here. For further clarifications and media interviews, contact the Programme Manager, Abigail Larbi (0244867047) or Programme Officer, Kwaku Krobea Asante (0249484528).

Guinea: Four Radio Stations Temporarily Shut down, Website Suspended on Election Day

Kwaku Asante
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Guinea: Four Radio Stations Temporarily Shut down, Website Suspended on Election Day

Four local radio stations were forced to shut down temporarily and a news website was suspended for one month on election day in Guinea.

The shutdown order was given by Sadou Camara, governor of the administrative region of Kankan on October 18, 2020, as provisional results of that day’s presidential elections began to filter in.

The affected stations, Futur Media, Baobab Media, Horizon FM, Milo FM and Nabaya FM were forced to suspend broadcasting while they were picking a live feed from Conakry-based Sabari Fm which was broadcasting election results.

It took the intervention of Sanou Kerfalle Cissé, the president of the Union of Independent Radio and Television of Guinea (URTELGUI) to make the Governor rescind his decision. The URTELGUI argued that the results from the polling stations had been certified and so their publication was lawful. The stations were eventually allowed to resume broadcasting after being off air for close to an hour.

On the same day, the online news website, guineematin.com was suspended from publication for one month by the High Authority for Communication (HAC).

A statement read on national television indicated that, the suspension of guineematin.com followed the refusal of the general administrator of the website to stop a live broadcast on the site’s Facebook page of official polling station results.

Prior to the elections, several freedom of expression organisations had called on President Alpha Conde to keep the internet on before, during and after the elections. While the call was heeded, the suspension of Guineematin.com and the momentarily shutdown of the four radio stations is disappointing.

“It is disappointing because there is no law prohibiting the dissemination of official results announced and posted at the polling stations,” said Nouhou Baldé, the founder of guineematin.com.

Meanwhile, journalists of guineematin.com came under attack from suspected political party thugs in Kankan, on October 13, five days to the elections. The journalists, who were covering the campaign of Cellou Dalein Diallo, the main opponent of President Alpha Condé, were, however, lucky to escape the attempted petrol bomb attack.

“We were at the bridge when a motorbike stopped in front of us. Some unknown people got off. One of them took out a bottle of petrol. He came towards us. The others threw projectiles at the front windscreen to break it. That’s when we realised it was an attack.” Alpha Assia Baldé, a reporter from the website told the MFWA. “Our driver moved quickly. The attackers followed us for 2 km before abandoning the chase”

The MFWA condemns the press freedom violations recorded in Guinea before and during the elections. Access to information is one of the indispensable conditions for transparent and credible elections. We therefore call on the media regulatory authority to lift the suspension on guineematin.com. 

The authorities should also investigate the attempted petrol bomb attack o the crew of the online media outlet.

Ghana: MFWA, NCCE to Hold National Forum on Media and Peaceful Elections

Kwaku Asante
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Ghana: MFWA, NCCE to Hold National Forum on Media and Peaceful Elections

As part of efforts towards peaceful elections in Ghana, the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) will on Thursday, October 22, 2020, hold a National Forum on ‘Media and the 2020 Elections in Ghana’.

The Forum will bring together key stakeholders in the electoral ecosystem including the Electoral Commission (EC), the Ghana Police Service, political parties, security agencies, UN agencies, civil society organisations and the media.

Participants will deliberate on issues regarding media professionalism, safety of journalists, and the role of the media in contributing to peaceful elections. Key institutions such as the Electoral Commission and the Ghana Police Service will also share their work with the media, preparations they have made so far, as well as, measures adopted to facilitate the media’s role in promoting peaceful elections.

The National Forum scheduled to take place at Alisa Hotel at 9:30am, forms part of MFWA’s project on Improving Media Professionalism and Safety of Journalists Situation in Ghana. The forum is supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ghana and the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA).

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