Page 28 – Media Foundation For West Africa

Reporting on Boko Haram: Frontline Journalists Recount Traumatic Experiences

Safety of Journalists

Kwaku Asante

-

November 20, 2020

Reporting on Boko Haram: Frontline Journalists Recount Traumatic Experiences

Founded in 2002, Boko Haram was culled from the words “book haram” and interpreted to mean “Western education is a sin or forbidden.” Its founder, Mohammed Yusuf, sought the “purification” of Islam in the northern region of Nigeria comprising 19 states. The region is further divided into the North-East, North-West and North Central.

Boko Haram has from inception taken a grip of the North-East, which has six states, namely Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe. Of those six states, the terrorists have mainly occupied Borno, Adamawa and Yobe – with Borno being the centre of their operation.

It’s apparent from MFWA’s interactions with reporters and residents that, the sect’s activities were initially non-violent, but as Yusuf gathered more disciples and preached against Western education, the sect became more radicalised, leading to attacks on schools, churches and mosques thought to be too liberal in their Islamic teachings. The group wanted strict adherence to Sharia law and sought an Islamic state in the North. Yusuf, who preached at a mosque in Maiduguri, wanted no books to be read other than the Quran.

When he was killed, a new leader arose named Abubakar Shekau, who turned the Islamic sect into a full-blown jihadist group. The members’ beliefs are centred on strict adherence to Wahabism, which is an extremely strict form of Sunni Islam that sees many other forms of Islam as idolatrous. The group denounced the members of the Sufi and the Shiite sects as infidels. They frowned on what they described as the Westernisation of Nigeria.

Among other notorious attacks carried out by the sect was on April 14, 2014, when it kidnapped 276 teenage girls from a secondary school in Chibok, Borno State.

After learning of the kidnap, the Twitter hashtag #BringBackOurGirls became one of the most trended hashtags worldwide and inspired several other campaigns on various social media websites in hopes of pressuring the Nigerian government to do more to recover the girls.

Tearful Testimonies of Traumatised Reporters

But behind the gory headlines are a crew of troubled but heroic journalists who have been in the frontline, braving and biting bullets to bring the news to the public. Timothy Olanrewaju, a reporter for The SUN Newspapers in Nigeria, is one such journalists. He has been covering the Boko Haram insurgency from Borno State since 2003. This was a year after the sect was founded by Mohammed Yusuf.

Of the 24 years Olanrewaju says he has been practising journalism, 19 has been spent reporting from Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State and the centre of the Boko Haram insurgency.

“One of the first challenging issues I faced reporting from the theatre of Boko Haram is lack of training. Most of us were not trained on how to report terrorism. And as such, we were seriously endangered. Some of us have sustained injuries in the field. As a matter of fact, I was once an internally displaced person,” he told MFWA.

But after a while, through reading tips by war journalists and undergoing training organised by some agencies, Olanrewaju said he learnt about reporting from a conflict zone.

“It was at one of the training that I learnt that as a journalist living in a conflict zone, you don’t stay in one place. So, I had to rent three houses at different locations in the city. But even when I had different houses, terrorists would write to me and fellow journalists that they knew our houses. I had to relocate my family out of here in 2011 because of the numerous threats.”

At another training held in Kenya on reporting from conflict and sensitive environments, Olanrewaju said he learnt that he needed protective gear comprising a bulletproof jacket, helmet, first aid box, transit kits, and others.

“Unfortunately, my employer did not get these items for me. All they wanted was for you to write stories. From my findings, most Nigerian media companies do not provide capacity building for their journalists.”

In 2017, the journalist said he was gifted a bag of protective gear by CNN’s Richard Quest, who he had met at a training workshop.

Olanrewaju also complained about poor welfare for journalists reporting from the conflict zone, saying his salary of less than N100,000 ($263) per month had even been halved due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In spite of that, he has had to buy a camera from his savings to do his work.

He said, “Nobody also cares about providing hazard allowance for journalists like me reporting from a conflict zone. Salaries are not paid timely let alone hazard allowance. The salary I was being paid seven years ago is what I am still earning – which is the same salary that a reporter in normal zones is earning.

But on top of the numerous issues faced by journalists in the conflict zone is trauma. After covering terrorism for about 17 years in Borno State, Olanrewaju suggested during his interview with MFWA that he was also suffering trauma.

He said, “Some of us are facing mental health challenge. From my interaction with my colleagues, every journalist who has covered Boko Haram insurgency in Borno State for more than 10 years has mental health challenge. I can say this for a fact.

“Many of us saw people being slaughtered, we saw blood, we saw corpses on the streets. Unfortunately, most media companies don’t have departments for psychosocial support, so we are practically on our own. In fact, nobody has ever asked me how I am coping here.”

Njadvara Musa, a journalist for The Guardian Newspapers also based in Maiduguri, said he has faced trauma while reporting from the conflict area. The 64-year-old said he has constantly faced threats to his life and is traumatized. He cited repeated incidents of fatal attacks on the convoy of the Borno State Governor, Prof Babagana Zulum which was accompanied by a group of reporters including himself.

In 2020 alone, within a year of becoming governor of the state, the governor’s convoy has been thrice attacked by Boko Haram terrorists – first on July 29 in which the insurgents reportedly killed five people, including three policemen; second on September 25 when the governor travelled to Baga to prepare for the planned return of internally displaced persons. [Baga is a town once controlled by the insurgents.]

During the attack, 15 persons – eight policemen, three soldiers and four civilian joint task force operatives – in the governor’s convoy were reportedly killed.

Barely two days after the second attack, Zulum’s convoy was again attacked by terrorists on September 27. No death was recorded, but some of the vehicles in the convoy were reportedly destroyed, including a bus conveying journalists. Musa, who is from Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, said such attacks have left many journalists afraid of their lives.

“I started reporting on Boko Haram since July 29, 2009, so it’s been 11 years of covering the insurgency. Many journalists have had to flee from here when they couldn’t cope again. Only a few journalists are left here. If there was more support, especially financially and psychologically, they probably would have stayed,” he told MFWA.

Recounting his experience when the governor’s convoy was attacked by Boko Haram on September 25, he said, “I had to lie on the ground to escape gunfire between the governor’s security agents and the terrorists. It was a heated exchange of gunfire. Eventually, around 15 security agents were killed.”

Musa also complained about lack of protective gear to use while doing his job. He said “Many journalists here like me don’t have the protective gear, so it limits how we cover the crisis. We usually rely on our native intelligence to escape from attacks. “The military has supported us on several occasions by giving us helmets and bulletproof vests when we are going to cover their operation. But of course, we return their protective kits when we return from such special assignments.”

Ahmed Mari, a journalist for The Champion Newspapers, has been reporting on the Boko Haram crisis since 2009, also shared his experiences with MFWA. He has also received numerous threats from the terrorists, although the security situation is now gradually improving.

He said “In the past, the terrorists would send text messages to journalists that they knew us very well. Sometimes they would ask why we were not reporting them well. They organised teleconferences for us and there they would threaten to kill us if we didn’t do their bidding.

“They considered us as their enemies and drew a battle line with us. Some of my colleagues have had to flee here because of continuous threats. I remember there was a particular time we had to help a colleague escape to Abuja because the insurgents were after his life.”

Mari also asked media owners to support journalists covering conflict, especially in the area of psychotherapy.

“There is a way that what we have seen has affected our mental health. I have somehow accepted my fate that one day, I would die, because anything can happen. I’ve seen lots of corpses and blood. It’s a lot I have taken in,” he said.

Apart from Borno State, the epicentre of Boko Haram, two other states in Nigeria, Yobe and Adamawa, are mainly occupied by the terrorists.

Joel Duku, a reporter for The Nation Newspapers in Yobe State, said he and other journalists in the state sometimes got scared because of the occasional shootings by terrorists.

He said, “Life here has been very difficult. Some of us were not exposed to conflict reporting prior to the Boko Haram insurgency; we learnt on the job. We still get scared sometimes.

“For safety reasons, there are still many places we can’t go to report. Things are gradually restoring to normalcy but the trauma the insurgents has left with many of us journalists still remains. Even till now, we have to be careful of what we say, and when and where we say it”, the journalist sobbed.

“When we hear gunshots or sounds of a bomb explosion, we are afraid of our lives and those of our families. We can’t sleep with our two eyes closed. Unfortunately, in terms of welfare and psychosocial support for journalists, it’s not really there,” Duku bemoaned.

Similarly, a journalist with one of the government-owned television stations in Yola, Adamawa State, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said she had been exposed to trauma due to years of continuous reportage on Boko Haram insurgency.

“It’s been close to a decade of covering Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East, and seriously speaking, I’m mentally frustrated. There are times I wouldn’t feel like eating food when I recollect how innocent souls, especially children and women like me, have been murdered by the insurgents. It takes a toll on my health,” she told MFWA.

Psychotherapy tips for traumatic journalists

An expert in psychotherapy at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State, Nigeria, Oladotun Adeyemo, noted that journalists reporting from conflict zones might be experiencing trauma due to either of two factors – personally experiencing attacks, or witnessing attacks on others.

“What they are passing through could be acute stress disorder (ASD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depending on the duration of the trauma. ASD and PTSD are due to having flashbacks of what they have experienced, that is, re-experiencing what they have experienced. ASD lasts for a short time, maybe a week or two, but PTSD lasts longer. The reason for the flashbacks is because the brain does not sleep, even when someone is sleeping,” Adeyemo explained to MFWA.

For such journalists to overcome trauma, the psychotherapist said they needed to weaken the structures of the brain that were bringing the flashbacks. He said, “They need to let the brain flush out those flashbacks by going to a therapeutic environment. They may not stop having those flashbacks immediately, but over time, if they are subjected to a therapeutic environment, the flashbacks will go away.

“This they can do by consulting clinical psychologists to help them relieve their experiences in a manner that will not agitate them again. Professionals know professional ways to flood the brain of someone with trauma with ‘positive or happy stories.’”

But should journalists have difficulty consulting psychotherapists, Adeyemo advised them to seek support from people closest to them, and also engage in physical activities like walking and dancing as such activities have the capacity to lighten up the mood.

He said, “Alternatively, they can ask for ‘significant support’ – that is, from people closer to them like their spouses and colleagues. They should find shoulders to lean on.”

However, consulting professionals remains the best tip for journalists going through trauma, Adeyemo emphasised.

Safety protocols for journalists in crisis areas

A security researcher at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria, Prof Olayemi Akinwumi, urged journalists covering conflict zones to always look for best practices in terms of their safety.

“When reporting from a conflict zone, they should be armed with safety gadgets. They are also encouraged to go for more training on conflict reporting.

“The Nigerian Union of Journalists can partner organisations that can specially train journalists on how to protect themselves in a conflict zone. Media organisations should also ensure to provide comprehensive insurance plans, including life insurance, for their reporters in conflict zones,” Akinwumi told MFWA.

Also, besides improving the working conditions of reporters in conflict zones, a security expert-cum-media analyst based in Lagos, Nigeria, Judith Okon, offered some safety tips for the journalists.

First, she asked the journalists to make life protection their top priority by wearing protective equipment such as helmet, life jacket, and gas mask.

“The journalists should also follow regular and systematic professional training about news coverage in a hostile environment and share their daily locations and schedules with the NUJ branch or at least one colleague in their places of assignment.

“They should also keep the distance from conflict zones before making live coverage for TV and web and remain cautious when unknown individuals offer them news opportunities because of kidnapping attempts.

“Also, they should ensure that their identification cards are clearly visible for the authorities or any groups. They should never stay alone after traumatic experiences by sharing their stories and feelings with at least one person.

“Lastly, I would say they should take a break and ask for relocation, even for a short period, after the coverage of traumatic experiences. When the post-trauma effects are lasting for a long time, they should seek professional help,” Okon told MFWA.

Nigerian journalists’ union advocates better welfare for members

Speaking with MFWA, the President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Chris Isiguzo, said the union had from time to time reached out to media companies to provide better welfare and offer psychotherapy for journalists covering conflict zones.

“For journalists operating in conflict areas, we have been reaching out to media owners that before sending reporters to such areas, they are supposed to properly train and provide proper remuneration for them. Also, comprehensive insurance packages should be provided for such journalists,” he said.

“So on our part, we have always advocated that journalists, particularly those reporting from conflict areas, should be well remunerated. Unfortunately, we have the problems of poor and irregular remunerations in the media industry. They are commonplace and they are huge challenges that journalists are facing. Journalists are not safe in the North-East. And now, conflicts are escalating in other northern states like Katsina, Sokoto and Kaduna,” Isiguzo added.

“As I speak, I have yet to learn of any media house that has a full insurance package for its journalists. The necessary legislation is not there. We have written letters to the Presidency and the National Assembly on this. And once the necessary legislation is not there, the challenges will linger. But we will not relent until we get to the place of our dreams,” Isiguzo observed, adding that “this is why we are also pushing for a Media Enhancement Bill that criminalises any action that does not empower and protect journalists at workplaces.”

The MFWA celebrates these gallant journalists whose sacrifices have enabled the Nigerian and international audience follow the Boko Haram insurgency and appreciate its full impact on the lives of the people of Northern Nigeria in particular. We urge media owners and managers, civil society and the government of Nigeria to provide the necessary capacity and logistics support to the journalists on the frontline of the Boko Haram conflict.

Electioneering Campaigns in Burkina Faso amid the COVID-19: Social Media to the Rescue

Digital Rights

Kwaku Asante

-

November 20, 2020

0

Electioneering Campaigns in Burkina Faso amid the COVID-19: Social Media to the Rescue

13 candidates are contesting the presidential elections of November 22, 2020 in Burkina Faso. The electoral campaigns have been conducted on the ground, but not with the usual enthusiasm and excitement. The need to respect COVID-19 protocols has forced the candidates and parties to exploit the power of social media and the online campaigns have proven sensational. Each candidate is deploying their strategy. Although some find it difficult to assert themselves on the internet, others stand out through their effective use of digital technology.

In the race for the presidential chair are Tahirou Barry (MCR), Zéphirin Diabré (UPC), Ségui Ambroise Farama (OPA-BF), Roch Marc Christian Kaboré (MPP), Monique Yéli Kam (MRB), Eddie Komboïgo (CDP), Ablassé Ouédraogo (Le Faso Autrement), Gilbert Noël Ouédraogo (ADF-RDA), Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo (Agir Ensemble), Kiemdoro Do Pascal Sessouma (Vision Burkina), Abdoulaye Soma (Mouvement Soleil D’Avenir), Claude Aimé Tassembédo (Independent candidate ) and Yacouba Isaac Zida (MPS).

Each candidate is more or less active on social networks, especially Facebook (the most popular network). The most active and followed on Facebook are Tahirou Barry, Zéphirin Diabré, Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, Eddie Komboïgo, Yacouba Isaac Zida, Gilbert Noël Ouédraogo, Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo and Ablassé Ouédraogo.

Five of the candidates and / or their parties (Zéphirin Diabré, Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, Gilbert Noël Ouédraogo and Yacouba Isaac Zida who lives in exile in Canada) are present on Twitter. It also the same group pf candidates are using websites. Thus, in form alone, we can note a contrast in the use of digital technology by candidates for the 2020 presidential election.

It is Eddie Komboïgo of the CDP (party of ex-President Blaise Compaoré), who was the first to start direct (or live) streaming on his Facebook page since the start of the electoral campaign on October 31, 2020. The others who were content to post photos and texts ended up following his lead. Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, the incumbent, began his campaign almost a week late (on November 4, his first direct date of November 5 at 2:56 p.m.) due to the funeral of his father who died on October 27.

In terms of the number of posts, the incumbent far exceeds the other candidates with an average of about twenty posts per day on Facebook. And on Twitter, it is still he, President-candidate Roch Kaboré, who is the most active, with an average of ten tweets per day. The publications of the various candidates on social networks mainly relate to their campaign activities. But some are distinguishing themselves through the creation of concepts or simply through retorts. Candidates, party militants and activists have also set social media abuzz with creative campaign statements relayed on Facebook.

For example, the expression “Hakuna Matata” (No problem in Swahili language in Kenya) was thrown up by Simon Compaoré, President of the ruling party (MPP) and national campaign director of Roch Kaboré, during a rally. CDP candidate Eddie Komboïgo was quick to respond: “Hakuna Chiida” (as if to say “there are problems” in the country). These two reactions were playfully posted on social networks (Facebook, Twitter and YouTube) by activists or activists.

A few days after this episode, Simon Compaoré showed himself in a widely circulated Facebook and WhatsApp video in which he almost made a mistake. Indeed, while intending to say President Roch Kaboré, he was heard saying: “President B…” . Comments have spilled all over the web to the effect that ruling party Chair almost mentioned former Burkinabe President Blaise Compaore. The same Simon Compaoré, in another campaign video posted on Facebook, confused the CDP and his party, the MPP: “There are people who have benefited from the projects of President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré and who swear that ‘he did nothing, that the CDP did nothing…”.

Another event that made the headlines of social networks during this campaign relates to the promise of Zéphirin Diabré, who said he wanted to build a tunnel from the sea to Burkina Faso. Over the next few days, the UPC leader retracted his words: “A Canal is one thing, and a tunnel is a different thing. If they didn’t go to a good school, it’s not our fault. We want to make a tunnel. We want to clear the weeds and desilt the various rivers to better benefit from them.”

Meanwhile, Abdoulaye Soma promises the creation of a state mining company and a Burkinabè monetary fund with 100 billion FCFA seed fund. Tahirou Barry, meanwhile, announces that he wants to turn the Sahel into a true milk processing plant, while at the same time Roch Marc Christian Kaboré pledges to win the bet for the security and stability of the country.

Between verbal jousts reported on the internet and targeted publications, the different candidates often send arrows at each other, being guilty of non-compliance with the pact of good conduct that they signed on October 26, 2020. And the situation worsens especially when these comments or facts are reported by the media, particularly online and on social networks.

The Pact of Good Conduct is considered as an additional legal means which enshrines the commitment on honor of political, media and civil society actors, to conform their conduct to the deep aspirations of peace and social cohesion. By the way, the mid-term review drawn up on November 12 by the Superior Council of Communication (CSC) of the media coverage of the campaign highlights 9 cases of violations of regulations, ethics and professional conduct by 8 media outlets including 3 online media. This is, among other things, relaying comments related to the security issue.

“If there is one region in Burkina Faso that has suffered for 5 years from the power of the MPP, it is the Eastern region. The MPP gave you up, abandoned you, and threw you to the terrorists and they are in Ouagadougou.” These words of Zéphirin Diabré reported by several press organs including the online media Burkina24 were considered by the Superior Council of Communication (CSC) as a breach and a violation of the Pact of Good Conduct. “There is someone who sat in Kossyam (presidential palace) to say that he received a certain number of people from the beginning in 2016. Go ask him the question, who knows who” (Eddie Komboïgo) , also relayed on its Facebook page the Omega radio station which was also pinned down by the CSC.

“Me, I say, I am totally inclusive, I am not a regionalist. For some time now, we have known that the power is in the Center. Regionalism is reprehensible. If Vision Burkina takes power in 2020, state power will devolve from the Center, and therefore to the Mossi ethnic group until 2030 necessarily. If we take power, we will propose Juliette Bonkoungou as president until 2030. We will reverse things, sometimes with presidents from the West, the North, etc. But also, Prime Ministers from the Mossi and other ethnic groups. We will choose the best to run the country. It is a state policy that I am proposing to appease all the components of this country.” These remarks made by Do Pascal Sessouma on Lefaso.net are also considered by the regulatory authority as a breach of the signed Pact.

In addition, if there is one fact that has so far marked this electoral campaign, especially on social networks, it is the spirit of solidarity expressed by the various candidates after the terrorist attack in Tin-Akoff on the 11th. November 2020. 14 Burkinabè soldiers lost their lives. This attack caused turmoil among the candidates who decided to declare two days of mourning and to suspend all campaign activity and even on social networks. The candidates made these announcements individually through social networks (Facebook and Twitter).

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

Media and Good Governance

Kwaku Asante

-

November 18, 2020

0

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

-

November 15, 2020

0

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

-

November 11, 2020

0

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 13^th– 14^th 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

Media and Good Governance

Kwaku Asante

-

November 9, 2020

0

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

Freedom of Expression

Kwaku Asante

-

November 5, 2020

0

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

Freedom of Expression

Kwaku Asante

-

November 1, 2020

0

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

Free Expression Violations

Kwaku Asante

-

October 30, 2020

0

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

Media and Good Governance

Kwaku Asante

-

October 28, 2020

0

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

-

October 23, 2020

0

#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

Media and Good Governance

Kwaku Asante

-

October 23, 2020

0

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).

Reporting on Boko Haram: Frontline Journalists Recount Traumatic Experiences

Electioneering Campaigns in Burkina Faso amid the COVID-19: Social Media to the Rescue

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

Winners Announced – West Africa Media Excellence Awards 2020

The Biggest Journalism Event in West Africa Opens Friday November 13

West Africa Media Excellence Awards 2020: List of Finalists

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

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

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

Ghanaweb.com Tops Violation of Media Ethics for September

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

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

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Quick Links

Contact Us

Address

Telephone

Email

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

body .tdi_76{text-align:left}body .tdi_76:after{margin-left:0;margin-right:auto}.tdi_76:after{width:180px;height:2px;margin-top:14px}Contact Us

Address

Telephone

Email

Contact Us