In an apparent move to calm tensions in the country, the Malian authorities have released leaders and organisers of three days of violent anti-government protests which began on June 10, 2020 paralysing the capital, Bamako and ending in fatalities.
The French magazine, Le Monde, quoted Prime Minister Boubou Cisse as confirming a toll of 11 dead and 158 injured in the three days of violent clashes.
With tensions still running high and sporadic clashes continuing between pockets of resisting youth and the security forces, the authorities heeded local and international calls and released the arrested protest leaders numbering about 20 on June 13, 2020.
“My three clients Choguel Maïga, Kaou Djim and the Imam (Oumarou) Diarra have just been released,” Alifa Habib Koné, lawyer of the three, told the Agence France Presse (AFP) after the releases.
Other opposition and civil society figures released from various detention facilities in the capital included Nouhoum Sarr, Adama Ben, Clément Dembele and a former minister Mountaga Tall. Imam Mahmoud Dicko, the powerful religious leader who reported himself to the police to be detained in solidarity with the arrested protest leaders, was also released.
The conciliatory gesture from the government is in line with calls by international actors for restraint and political dialogue.
In a joint statement issued on June 12, the ECOWAS, African Union, EU and UN condemned the violence on both sides. They also urged President Keita to create the conditions for political dialogue by releasing the jailed leaders of the M5-RFP a coalition of religious, political and civil society leaders which organised the protests.
In addition to releasing the protest leaders, the President has dissolved the Constitutional Court which the protesters claim has lost credibility as a neutral body. In one of its recent partisan postures, the Constitutional Court on June 1, 2020, issued a statement describing calls for President Keita’s resignation as “insurrectional, subversive, seditious.” In response, the MFWA issued a statement condemning the Court’s action as “an attempt at dissuading and intimidating critics of the Executive.”
Following the liberation of its leading figures, the M5-RFP leadership has also called off protests earlier announced to take place on July 17. It will instead hold memorial services for the protesters killed during the last demonstrations.
Meanwhile, an ECOWAS delegation has arrived in Mali to mediate the impasse. Led by former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, the team has met President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, Prime Minister Boubou Cisse and the powerful Imam Mahmoud Dicko who is the heartbeat of the campaign against the government. They will also meet separately with opposition leaders and civil society organisations to try to broker peace.
The MFWA welcomes the positive developments in Mali in the days immediately following the violent incidents, particularly, the release of the protesters leaders and the dissolution of the controversial Constitutional Court.
We urge the parties involved to continue the dialogue in good faith in order to restore peace. Above all, we reiterate our call on the authorities to investigate fully the violent incidents during the recent demonstration and ensure that those responsible for the excesses, particularly the killings and many press freedom violations, are punished.
A number of protesters have been killed, the internet disrupted and the state broadcaster attacked as a mammoth anti-government demonstration in Mali turned violent, with many press freedom violations.
Bamako was paralyzed by scenes of looting and violence on July 10, 2020 as thousands of Malians massed up at Independence Square in Bamako in response to a call to civil disobedience made by the M5-RFP (a coalition of the opposition political parties, civil society and religious organisations).
The National Assembly was vandalized. Several government buildings were occupied and three principal bridges in the capital were blocked. Thick smoke overshadowed the morning sunlight as the youth burnt car tyres on several principal roads in a fit of rage.
The security forces responded with brutal force to acts of violence and vandalism by protesters by firing warning shots, attacking with truncheons and tear gas, with official sources confirming one dead.
A hospital source however told the MFWA’s correspondent that the demonstrations left 3 dead, with the Centre Hospitalier Universiataire Gabriel Touré (CHU GT) and the Bamako reference health center receiving a total of 74 injured protesters between them. The organisers of the protest say about eight people were killed over two days. Shooting of tear gas by the police continued all Friday evening to disperse the protesters.
The protests continued on July 11, in several major arteries in the Malian capital. In districts like Magmanbougou, Niamakoro, Baco Djikoroni and Faladie, protesters burned tires and placed giant barricades on the tracks.
Protesters burned tires and placed giant barricades on the tracks
In line with the recent problematic trend during anti-government demonstrations in Africa, the internet was disrupted.
Netblocks, an organisation that monitors internet shutdowns, announced on June 10, that early reports indicate that the internet and social media had been censored.
Press Freedom Violation
The State broadcaster, Office de Radio-Television du Mali (ORTM), was hard-hit by the violence. Several of its offices in Bozola (the ORTM headquarters) were ransacked and equipment belonging to the broadcaster were looted.
ORTM was invaded and chaotically occupied and vandalized, with the resulting losses running several hundreds of millions of CFA francs. Two vehicles belonging to journalists were also set on fire.
The state broadcaster stopped broadcasting the evening of July 10 after the invasion of its premises over several hours. This chaotic situation continued until midday on July 11.
The ORTM offices and its journalists were not the only victims of the protesters’ violence. A number of journalists had a bitter taste of the protesters’ violence, while the security forces’ robust response also led to several press freedom violations. Mamadou Cissé, journalist with the Horon Group, told the MFWA correspondent: “I was arrested by the police while I was reporting and then released later”.
Journalist Hawa Kamissoko of the Liberté TV Group was arrested in the middle of her coverage by police officers who shoved her into a pick-up. Her close associates reported her release at 6 pm the following day (July 11).
The media organisation Groupe Ernergie in a press release also reported attacks on its reporters on July 10. According to the Group, journalists Harouna Keïta, and Fanta Cisse were robbed of their phones, camera and wallets.
“We condemn with last energy this barbaric and despicable act while reassuring that legal proceedings will be initiated for the purpose of finding the perpetrators,” concluded the release signed by the Editor-in Chief, Moussa Salif Diarra.
Moussa Koné, a correspondent of international media, testified: “I was beaten with batons and my corrective lens crashed to the ground. It’s the same contingent that killed the boy in Badalabougou.”
Arrests of Protest Leaders
Several leading figures behind the demonstrations were arrested immediately after the demonstration on July 10. They include the General Coordinator of the Coordination des Mouvements, Associations et Sympathisants (CMAS), Issa Kaou N’djim, who was arrested at his home. Others were Nouhoum Sarr of the FAD party, Adama Ben Diarra and Clément Dembele.
Another wave of arrests was carried out the following day. Former Ministers Mountaga Tall and Choguel Kokalla Maîga were arrested during a meeting at the office of the main opposition leader.
Imam Mahmoud Dicko, a powerful religious leader who played a crucial role in mobilising the masses, reported himself to the police to be detained in solidarity with the arrested protest leaders.
Indignation and Appeal for Dialogue from Prime Minister
Prime Minister Boubou Cisse, on a visit to the CHU GT (the University hospital) on July 11, expressed his anger and indignation.
“I came to visit the wounded from yesterday’s events. I came to tell them that the Head of State is a man of peace and dialogue. He will never stop urging us to dialogue so that we find the solution to our problems by listening rather than the confrontation. “
Prime Minister Cisse has appealed to the leaders of the M5 movement to “frame demonstrations in the spirit of the constitution as well as laws and texts relating to the exercise of freedoms.”
Protesters’ Demands
One of the demands of the protesters is to see President Ibrahim Boubakar Keita resign for perceived failure to tackle insecurity, corruption, mass unemployment and Mali’s worsening economic situation.
Since 2012, Mali has been experiencing a multifaceted, security, political and economic crisis. S Neighboring countries including Niger and Burkina Faso are also paying a heavy price.
Elected in 2013 at the end of the long process of transition from the crisis arising out of the military coup of March 22, 2012, President Keita started of his tenure on the crest of wave of popular support. Now he appears weakened by the upheavals of governance and public life and his ratings have plummeted in recent years. It should be remembered that since coming to power in 2013, he has been the subject of several medical evacuations abroad.
International Community Reaction
The international community has reacted by condemning the violence exhibited by both sides and urged the government to release the arrested leaders to facilitate dialogue.
A statement issued by representatives of the ECOWAS, the African Union, the European Union and the United Nations on July 12 condemned “the use of lethal force in the maintenance of order and invite all stakeholders to exercise restraint and to always prioritise dialogue, concertation and peaceful means of crisis resolution.
The Media Foundation for West Africa also condemns in the strongest terms, the excesses on both sides. We find it unfortunate that both sides attacked journalists and destroyed the equipment of media professionals who were only performing their legitimate duties. While condemning the killing of demonstrators, we demand thorough investigations into all the acts of lawlessness for appropriate sanctions to be applied against the perpetrators.
Pro-National Democratic Congress (NDC) radio station, Power FM, is the worst perpetrator of ethical violations among 26 media organisations that were monitored for ethical infractions in the period of June 1-14, 2020.
Power FM, which recorded 48 violations, is immediately followed by pro-New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Oman FM with 46 violations. The news website, Ghanaweb.com, follows with nine violations.
The findings are contained in the maiden report of the Media Foundation for West Africa’s (MFWA) media ethics monitoring project . The project monitored 917 media content from 10 Akan language radio stations, 10 newspapers and six news websites. A total of 141 ethical violations were recorded, with radio stations perpetrating most of the infractions (88%).
The report also revealed that Inside Politics, an afternoon political talk show, on Power FM hosted by Mugabe Maase is the programme that recorded the highest number of ethical violations (31) during the period of monitoring. This was closely followed by Oman FM’s morning show, National Agenda, with 29 violations. National Agenda is hosted by Yaw Amofa. Oman FM’s Boiling Point, an evening political talk show, which is hosted by Kwabena Kwakye also followed as the programme with the third-highest recorded violations (10).
The report further indicates that many programme hosts and presenters of news bulletins on the pro-partisan radio stations often made no attempts to call to order, panelists and interviewees who made unethical statements on air. In some cases, they were actively engaged in insulting and making offensive statements against personalities who do not belong to the political party of their radio owners.
The monitoring of media ethics is part of a project titled: Enhancing media professionalism to inspire public confidence and support for press freedom in Ghana. The objective of the project is to identify and highlight incidents of ethical infractions and drawing attention to such breaches as a way of fostering adherence to ethical principles by media organisations.
The full report contains the specific ethical principles violated, the names of the media outlets that violated among other findings. Kindly click here to access it.
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, Vivian Affoah (0244896588), or Programme Officer, Kwaku Krobea Asante (0249484528).
The Ghana Police Service (GPS) and major media stakeholders in Ghana have launched a manual on police-media relations. The manual is aimed at reinforcing relations between the Service and the media in order to enhance safety of journalists and ensure that perpetrators of violations against journalists are punished.
Officially termed the Framework on Police-Media Relations and Safety of Journalists in Ghana, the manual was launched at a forum held at the Police Headquarters in Accra on July 1, 2020. The forum was attended by the top brass of the Ghana Police Service, representatives of the Ministry of Information and media stakeholders including the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), National Media Commission (NMC), Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Ghana Community Radio Network (GCRN), Editors Forum-Ghana, Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) and Private Newspaper Publishers Association (PRINPAG).
Launching the Framework, Mrs Adelaide Annor Kumi, Chief Director of the Ministry of Interior, expressed the hope that the Framework would foster excellent working relationship between the media and the Ghana Police Service for improved standards of policing and journalism. She called on the stakeholders to commit fully to the implementation of the recommendations of the Framework and pledged her Ministry’s support for the initiative.
The Framework follows a two year-long series of multi-stakeholder engagements and consultations facilitated by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) with funding support from UNESCO-IPDC, OSIWA and IFEX and the Netherlands Embassy in Ghana.
In his opening remarks, the Executive Director of the MFWA, Sulemana Braimah, recalled that the process began on May 22, 2019 at a time of tension between the media and the police following a brutal police assault on a journalist who was covering an event at the Police Headquarters. He added that the collaboration has helped in creating a healthy atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding. This rapprochement, he said, is expected to be boosted by the proposal in the Framework to establish a broad-based Media-Police Relations Committee.
Mr. Braimah explained that both institutions play crucial roles in promoting democracy and the rule of law. He added that the COVID-19 emergency and the approach of the 2020 general elections make it the perfect time to launch the framework.
Mr. Ron Strikker, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Ghana, expressed his government’s commitment to promoting the safety of journalists “as a human rights policy and a broader political policy.”
For his part, COP Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, Director General of Administration at the Ghana Police Service, who represented the Inspector General of Police, Mr James Oppong-Boanuh, welcomed the framework as a lever for advancing relations between two critical players in promoting good governance.
“This policy framework underscores the relevance attached to foster the Police-Media’s collaborative efforts aimed at promoting good governance in the country. The Police-Media collaboration which is at a bilateral level of cooperation, has the capacity to deepen democratic governance and dispensation,” COP Akuffo Dampare stated.
Mr Edmund Kofi Yeboah, General Secretary for the Ghana Journalists’ Association, observed that while the Police service as a statutory institution can sanction offending officers, media houses and journalists have often refused to submit to the disciplinary mechanism of the regulatory body or the professional association to which they are affiliated. This attitude of impunity on the part of the media could pose a challenge to the successful implementation of the Framework, he added. Kofi Yeboah also advocated that the Framework should be incorporated into the training curriculum of police training institutions and journalism schools, a proposal which was endorsed by Zakaria Musah Tanko, a lecturer at the Ghana Institute of Journalism.
The Executive Secretary of the National Media Commission (NMC), George Sarpong, hailed the Police-Media Framework as an important addition to safety of journalists’ mechanisms that his outfit and the Ministry of information have separately initiated. He called for a discussion on how to fuse the three initiatives into a broader national safety of journalists’ mechanism.
Presenting highlights of the Framework, Prof. Kwame Karikari, the project consultant, said the Framework does not give privileges to the Police or the media, but rather seeks to improve the two institutions’ understanding of each other’s constitutional roles for better cooperation in the service of the public. He said the media’s reporting duties often clashes with the security and safety directives measures of the police during public events.
“While Ghana’s constitution forbids censorship, the police are permitted to restrict media coverage in certain circumstances,” Prof. Karikari stressed, adding that “such restrictions must be provided for by law; must be proportionate and reasonable and must pursue a legitimate aim of protecting life, property, public safety and peace.” Prof. Karikari said because journalists are obliged to prioritise public interest at all times, it should not be difficult for them to find ways to dialogue and cooperate with the police in situations where their respective roles give rise to conflict.
He urged both bodies to take their members through the document, stressing that media houses could use a day to educate their staff on it.
The process of developing the Framework began on July 11, 2018 with a forum on Police-Media relations in Ghana which was addressed by the then Inspector General of Police, Mr. David Asante-Apeatu. Among the key recommendations of the forum was the development and adoption of a framework to guide relations between the Media and the Police.
Pursuant to this recommendation, a multi-stakeholder Committee known as the Committee on Police-Media Relations was set-up to drive the process. The Committee subsequently appointed Prof. Kwame Karikari as a Consultant to lead the process.
On June 20, 2019, the Police Management Board (POMAB) wrote to the MFWA to indicate its approval of the draft Framework that had been submitted to it on May 22, 2019, paving the way for its formal launch.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) welcomes the release from prison of Beninese journalist Ignace Sossou.
Sossou had been imprisoned since December 2019 for publishing the public statements of Benin’s public prosecutor, Mario Mètonou, on social media.
The Benin Web TV journalist, was arrested at his home on December 20, 2019 by agents of the central office for the suppression of cybercrime and brought before a court, which sentenced him to 18 months in prison on December 24, 2019.
His arrest and conviction prompted numerous condemnations from freedom of expression organisations, including the Media Foundation for West Africa.
Following Sossou’s imprisonment, the MFWA initiated many actions, including two petitions for the release of Ignace Sossou. The organisation also joined many international human rights organisations to put pressure on the authorities in Benin to obtain the unconditional release of the journalist.
On April 28, the day of one of the appeal hearings, MFWA and seven other press freedom organisations issued a statement calling on the Beninese authorities to release Ignace, particularly in view of the risk of infection by COVID-19 during his detention.
On 3 May, MFWA and its national partners sent a petition to the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Access to Information of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), Lawrence Mute, urging him to intervene in the case to secure the journalist’s release.
The pressure from freedom of expression organisations, including MFWA, led to commuting of his sentence to 12 months with 6 months suspended by the Court of Appeal on May 19.
After his release on June 24, Sossou who still have a six months suspended sentence, told MFWA he is happy to be back home.
”I am very happy to be out of prison; the joy of being reunited with my family, loved ones and colleagues. Also, the joy of going back to work. I need to make up for the time I lost in detention. I would like to thank all the organisations defending the rights of journalists who have mobilised to demand my release,” Sossou told MFWA.
Although the MFWA believes that Sossou should not even be arrested, detained and imprisoned for simply relaying the words of the public prosecutor, Mario Mètonou, we are delighted that the journalist had been freed and has been able to rejoin his family.
A High Court in Ghana’s capital, Accra, has found a powerful ruling party Member of Parliament (MP), Kennedy Agyapong, guilty of defaming renowned Ghanaian journalist, editor and publisher, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako.
The Court, presided over by Her Ladyship Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, awarded damages of GH¢100,000 (about USD $18,000) and costs of GH¢30,000 (about USD 5,000) against the MP. In addition, the Court ordered the MP to retract the defamatory statements he made against the journalist on various media platforms and networks, including Net 2 TV and Oman FM (which are owned by the MP), as well as on Adom TV and Asempa FM, which are two of the most influential media organisations in Ghana and on which the MP had made the defamatory comments. Besides, the MP is ordered to render an unqualified apology to Abdul Malik Kweku Baako.
“The Defendant is hereby ordered, within thirty (30) days of this judgment, to publish on three consecutive occasions, on the same platforms that he published the defamatory words, an unqualified retraction and an apology, with the same prominence as given to the issuance of the defamatory words against the plaintiff, ” Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe ordered.
“To speak evil of anyone unless there is unequivocal proofs of their deserving it, is an injury for which there is no adequate reparation,” Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe said during her June 26, 2020 ruling. “An order of perpetual injunction is hereby granted restraining the Defendant, his agents, assigns and servants from further publishing any defamatory words against the plaintiff,” the judge added.
The journalist had filed a defamation suit against the MP in October 2018. Baako, who is editor-in-chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, stated that the defendant defamed him “on July 18, 2018 and on several occasions thereafter” by labelling him as “dishonest”, “evil” and ‘corrupt” among other derogatory comments on several radio stations including his (Agyapong) own Net 2 TV and Oman FM.
Mr. Baako is a mentor of investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, and one of the investigative journalist’s staunch defenders in the wake of the Number 12 football corruption video that generated a lot of controversy. The legislator, on the other hand, used his own media platforms and his media engagements as an MP to wage a smear and hate campaign against the investigative journalist, his supporters and his investigative firm, the Tiger Eye PI.
As part of the hate campaign, Kennedy Agyapong widely publicised supposed pictures of Anas and Ahmed Suale, a member of Anas’ Tiger Eye PI’s team, including disclosure of where Suale lived and invited his followers to attack him wherever they met him. Suale was subsequently killed by unknown assailants on January 16, 2019. No one has been punished for the murder, and investigations by the Ghana police appear to have stalled.
Meanwhile, Kennedy Agyapong is facing a similar suit by Anas Aremeyaw Anas in respect of alleged defamatory statements he made about the journalist during a live programme a radio station on May 29, 2018.
The MFWA welcomes the court’s decision as a victory for the fight against impunity for crimes against journalists and a stern signal to the MP and his likes who wantonly abuse journalists. It is a victory for the rule of law and against impunity. We commend Kweku Baako for pursuing the matter to its logical conclusion, and hope that his example will inspire other journalists to take steps to fight for their rights at all times.
Three Members of Parliament (MPs) and some officials of the two main political parties, New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC), have been cited as having engaged in the use of indecent and abusive language on radio. This was among several findings in the maiden report of the Media Foundation for West Africa’s (MFWA’s) election 2020 campaign language monitoring project.
The report, which is based on the monitoring of 597 programmes on 20 selected radio stations for the period June 1-14, 2020, cites the NPP MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong; NDC MP for Juaboso, Kwabena Mintah Akando; and NPP MP for Manhyia North, Collins O. Amankwah for making insulting and offensive comments on radio.
The NPP MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, who was also found to be the most abusive among all the other individuals cited during the monitoring period, also made unsubstantiated allegations, threats and expressions calling for confrontation. He singlehandedly made eleven out of the 51 indecent expressions recorded during the monitoring period.
The monitoring report also names the National Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi; the National Youth Organizer of the NPP, Nana Boakye (Nana B); the Flagbearer of the United Freedom Party (UFP), Nana Agyenim Boateng, and some party officials at the regional level for making unsubstantiated allegations and other indecent expressions on radio.
Overall, officials and affiliates of the NDC recorded the highest number (17) of indecent expressions, closely followed by their counterparts in the NPP with 15 incidents. The other political parties whose affiliates were cited are the UFP with two indecent expressions, and the Convention People’s Party (CPP) with one incident.
Regarding the radio stations on which the indecent expressions were recorded, Accra-based Oman FM recorded the highest number (16) of indecent expressions mainly on its National Agenda programme. Power FM, also based in Accra, followed with 10 indecent expressions all of which were recorded on the station’s Inside Politics programme. The host of the Inside Politics programme on Power FM, Mugaabe Maase, was also found to have used the highest number of indecent expressions among the hosts of radio programmes that were monitored. Eleven other radio stations were also cited in the report.
The monitoring report is the first of several to be issued by the MFWA throughout the electioneering period under its Issues Not Insults campaign.
The monitoring and reporting of indecent language form part of the project, Promoting Decent Language and Issues-based Campaigning for Peaceful Elections in Ghana in 2020, by the MFWA. The project seeks to promote decent language and issues-based campaigning before, during and after Ghana’s 2020 elections for peaceful elections. This is the third time the project is being implemented after it was introduced ahead of Ghana’s 2012 elections and repeated during the 2016 elections. The previous projects resulted in over 80% reduction in the use of indecent campaign language and hate speech by political actors on radio ahead of elections.
In Ghana, the project is being implemented with funding support from the STAR-Ghana Foundation and OSIWA. This year, the project is also being implemented in Niger and Cote d’Ivoire ahead of their respective elections, with funding support from OSIWA.
The full report, which includes the names of the individuals who used indecent expressions and abusive language, and the radio stations on which the expressions were recorded, 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 Programme Manager, Vivian Affoah (0244896588), or Programme Officer, Kwaku Krobea Asante (0249484528).
The outbreak of the COVID-19 disease has brought into sharp focus the imperative of the media in society generally; but especially its role in providing the news, information and education that the public need during a pandemic. At the same time, the outbreak has seriously disrupted, and significantly destabilised media systems and news routines in the countries of West Africa; as is also the case globally.
Some of the effects on the media are self-evident, others are insidious; some are short-term, some far-reaching. But, like the virus itself, all require some examination to establish the evidence empirically; all require collaboration to ensure that response and recovery actions are contingent, effective and sustainable.
To assess the impact of the pandemic on the media landscape in West Africa, the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) is collaborating with its national partner organisations in the respective countries, to produce monthly reports highlighting key emerging issues.
The reports focus on five factors of concern that could ultimately impinge on the survival and sustainability of media institutions, journalism professional practice, and freedom of expression in the region. These concerns are: (1) availability and accessibility of information; (2) legal and policy context; (3) safety of journalists; (4) economic sustainability; and (5) media support.
A Magistrate’s Court in Faranah, Guinea, has found a teacher guilty of inciting a mob attack on Facely Kalman Keïta, a correspondent for the news website Guineenews.
The accused, David Lancéi Condé, who pleaded guilty and apologised, was handed a one-year suspended sentence and cautioned to be of good behaviour by the court in its June 17, 2020 verdict.
On May 26, 2020, Facely Kalman Keïta went to the city of Faranah, some 450 kilometres from Conakry, to cover a demonstration by the inhabitants over a long spell electric power cut. As the journalist was moving closer to the demonstrators, David Lancéi Condé addressed him in these words: “Where are you going? We don’t need journalists here. You are crooks,” the reporter narrated. Sensing danger, Keita decided to move away from the crowd, but the accused ordered a group of youngsters to attack him.
Fortunately, Keita managed to get onto his motorbike just in time before the angry, cursing youngsters could lay hands on him. Thereafter, the journalist reported the matter to the prosecutor at the Faranah Magistrate’s court and the accused was charged after investigations.
“I am very satisfied with the decision of the Guinean justice through the TPI [Tribunal de Premiere Instance] of Faranah, because this trial was a lesson for the population of this city,” Keita rejoiced at the decision.
The Media Foundation for West Africa also welcomes the conviction of Conde for his act of aggression against Keita. We believe the verdict, though rather lenient, still represents a huge symbolic victory for press freedom over impunity and a signal to would-be violators that their actions would not go without consequences. The MFWA also commends Keita for reporting the incident and pursuing justice to its logical conclusion.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) condemns reported threats on Empire FM reporter, Emmanuel Ohene Gyan for reporting the COVID-19 related death of the former Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) of Sekondi-Takoradi in the Western Region of Ghana.
Kobina Kurentsir Sam passed on at the University of Ghana Medical Centre on June 12, 2020, weeks after his personal driver tested positive for COVID-19.
Ohene Gyan was among the first journalists to report the news on Starrfmonline.com, one of the platforms of the EIB Network for which he works. Quoting an aide to the former mayor, the journalist stated that the former MCE had died of the Coronavirus.
However, relatives of the ex-mayor have been calling and threatening the journalist for reporting that he died of COVID-19.
Ohene Gyan told the MFWA that he has received several threatening calls from people claiming to be relatives of the former MCE of Sekondi-Takoradi.
‘‘Many of the calls were anonymous, but I identified one of the callers as Jonathan Sam, a son of the ex-mayor. He asked me to take down the story within 24 hours or face his wrath,’’ the journalist told the MFWA.
Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo, in his periodic address to update the country on the pandemic, on June 14, 2020, paid tribute to the former MCE ‘‘whose efforts in enforcing social distancing protocols at the Sekondi and Takoradi markets were, recently highly commended by me, and who sadly passed away on Friday, as a result of a COVID-related death.’’
The media has played a vital role in providing education, sensitisation and education regarding the pandemic and so attacks on journalists in connection with the pandemic are painfully ironic. We therefore denounce the threats on Ohene Gyan and call on his employers to take steps to ensure that he is given the necessary protection.
Ohene Gyan is the third journalist to be abused in connection with COVID-19 reportingin Ghana. On April 5, 2020, Abdul Ganiyu, General Manager of Kumasi-based Zuria FM was assaulted by an army officer over his station’s critical reports of military brutalities during the COVID-19 lockdown. On April 10, a military officer enforcing the COVID-19 lockdown, brutalised Samuel Adobah of TV Africa at Olebu in Accra.
Following these attacks, the MFWA on May 3, 2020, petitioned the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Lieutenant General Obed Boamah Akwa, to investigate the incidents. In a letter dated May 13, 2020, the Chief of Staff, Rear Admiral Issah Adams Yakubu, on behalf of the CDS, assured that any soldier found culpable will be dealt with in accordance with our disciplinary code.”
The world today is grappling with the Covid-19 pandemic and West Africa is no exception. In the fight against this pandemic, the media plays a crucial role. They educate, raise awareness, and inform citizens about the virus and the measures taken by the authorities to limit its spread. The role of journalists has never been more crucial.
However, in the performance of their duties, journalists face a number of attacks. They are brutalized, arrested, detained, and harassed. In addition to these violations of journalists’ rights, the media in West Africa are facing financial insecurity which has compounded the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the media.
The MFWA hosted its second webinar on Covid-19 and the Safety of Journalists in Francophone West Africa on June 4, 2020. This forum follows the first edition which was devoted to the English-speaking countries of the sub-region.
The panelists for this second edition were, Amina Niandou, Member of the communications authority in Niger, Bacary Mané Domingo, journalist and Vice-President of the Press Accreditation Council of Senegal, Yacouba Ladji Bama, Editor-in-Chief of bi- monthly investigative magazine, Courrier Confidential in Burkina Faso.
With regard to the situation of journalists in Niger, Amina Niandou mentioned the existence of a law on cybercrime which sanctions online publications considered to be in breach of public order. Under this law a journalist was detained for three weeks on charges of disseminating false information about the covid-19.
Bacary Domingo also pointed out that, curfew measures in the fight against the pandemic significantly affect the safety of journalists.
“We have noted several cases of attacks by law enforcement officers against journalists for reasons of violation of the curfew. These attacks take place despite the fact that the state has provided journalists with passes,” he said, adding that “Not all journalists work remotely; some work from the office and come home late, and yet the security forces are not considerate.”
While journalists are grappling with the various laws in Niger and Senegal, Ladji Bama of Burkina Faso indicated that, since the outbreak of Covid-19 in Burkina Faso, there has not yet been any cases of attacks, nor of detention of journalists in connection with their reporting on Covid-19. However, he said the curfews imposed had an impact on journalists.
“The curfews have made it difficult for journalists to access information at night. But thanks to the passes provided by the state, the situation has improved,” Bama said.
The panelists also highlighted a number of challenges regarding financial sustainability in the media.
“With the Covid-19, the financial situation of the media has become difficult. First the thermometre guns, the masks, the gels, the microphone stands, and even the social distancing. All this represents costs for the media, while some Senegalese people no longer buy the newspaper because for them the paper could be contaminated. This has major implications for revenue,” Bacary Domingo, explained.
Speaking on the situation in Niger, Amina Niandou pointed out that, women are the most vulnerable to the financial hardships faced by the media. According to her, “If the media decide to lay off staff, it is very likely that it starts with women because they are perceived, wrongly of course, as less productive compared to men.”
The panelists highlighted measures taken by governments to alleviate the financial impact of the pandemic. According to Domingo, “in Senegal, subvention to the media has been doubled from 700 million to 1.4 billion to able the industry cope with the impact of the Covid-19.”
In Niger, the government asked the media to provide invoices for their reports and campaigns on the Covid-19, while in Burkina Faso, the government announced, among other measures, a 50% cut in taxes for the media.
However, the panelists considered these measures inadequate, and stressed the need for the governments to do more to improve the legal and financial frameworks of the media in order to promote their development. It is in the light of the above that the panelists made the following recommendations:
Establish partnerships: The media should forge partnerships with each other and, in the long term, form conglomerates. This will allow them to be more sustainable and less vulnerable to financial crises.
Collaboration: Journalists, media organisations and media associations across the sub-region need to collaborate in order to denounce with one accord all attacks perpetrated against media professionals and demand respect for the rights to press freedom and freedom of expression.
Increase subvention to the media: In order to better promote a vibrant and independent media, there is the need for governments in the sub-region to increase their financial support for the media.
Go digital: In this era of Covid-19 where working remotely has become the norm, and hard-copy newspapers are experiencing a downturn, it is crucial for media enterprises to adopt digital tools and put in place measures that will enable them publish and generate revenues online.
The global community has been battling the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) since November 2019. The pandemic is known to have infected over six million individuals, and claimed more than 350,000 lives across the world as of June 3, 2020.
As it rages through the globe, the virus has drastically changed ways of life, crippled economies, and brought several businesses to their knees. Although the virus was slow at tightening its grip on the African continent, it has already seriously impacted several industries in Africa, including the media, which have steadily seen its revenue streams dwindle.
In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak in West Africa, the drastic drop in advertising revenues which legacy media organisations traditionally depend on to stay afloat has further worsened the already existing challenges in media financial sustainability. In Ghana for example, the advertising industry is heavily impacted as it has recorded about GHs100 million in losses since the outbreak. If this trend should continue, media organizations who benefit from the industry are staring at a major cash crunch.
The situation is not different in Nigeria. “COVID-19 affects the very DNA of the traditional business model of media organizations which is advertising, circulation and events,” said Dapo Olorunyomi, CEO of Premium Times during an interview. “Many advertisers have not returned and may be difficult to win back in short to medium terms. Already 21 media organisations have sent out messages of massive staff downsizing and salary cuts,” he added.
Newspapers
Lockdown impositions and curfews are measures adopted by several governments in West Africa to contain the spread of the coronavirus. These steps, though might be necessary, have negatively impacted the survival of legacy media, particularly newspapers.
Emmanuel Akli, Editor-in-Chief at The Chronicle, a major newspaper in Ghana fears the pandemic could have a heavy toll on his newspaper. “If this pandemic should continue for a longer period of time, the newspaper industry will be devastated. We are recording drops in sales as customers are even afraid to touch the paper for fear of it being infected,” he said during a phone interview.
The situation is no different in Mali. Some newspapers are beginning to fade out, due to their inability to generate enough revenue. Youssouf Diallo, Head of Publication at Lettre du Peuple, hopes that the virus can be contained within a short time for businesses to fully resume. The alternative will mean his media organisation would have to stop operating.
‘’If by July the pandemic continues, we might have to close. We first saw our printing companies having challenges in operating at night because of the curfews and then our advertisement contracts which represent 80% of our revenues got cancelled due to the outbreak,” he said during a phone interview.
Newspapers in Liberia are also facing similar challenges. The Publishers Association of Liberia (PAL) announced the suspension of their print publications due to the imposition of the State of Emergency which will affect the distribution of their papers and lead to a massive decrease in revenues.
Radio Stations
Radio remains the leading medium for news and information in West Africa. Its importance in a pandemic such the current one cannot be underrated. Even in pre-coronavirus times, ensuring the sustainability of radio stations was a balancing act. Baye Omar Gaye, General Manager of Sud FM, a prominent radio station in Senegal, believes that if the situation is not reversed, it might lead to difficult decisions with regards to staffing.
‘’Today everything is about the coronavirus, which is not lucrative and does not help in generating revenues. In the current context where economic activities have slowed down, businesses are not interested in advertisements. Meanwhile, about 90% of our revenues are from adverts. In the long run, tough decisions might have to be made to cut operation cost,’’ Baye said in an interview.
In Burkina Faso, the government has imposed both a partial lockdown and a state of emergency. Although a good number of stations are still operating, Paul Miki Roamba, Editor-in-Chief of Ouagadougou-based Ouaga FM, thinks that the future is uncertain.
“We are not yet to the point of laying off staff or being unable to pay salaries. However, there is no guarantee that we might not face such a situation as there are signs of an economic crisis because the advertising industry has completely collapsed,” he said.
Online media
As legacy media struggles during these times, the contrary is the case with online media organisations. Online news portals are recording a spike in number of visitors.
Seneweb, a major online media in Senegal is one of such platforms. According to Abdoul Fall Salam, General Manager of the website, his online media portal has seen a sharp rise in visitors and is now getting revenue from the public sector.
“Following the outbreak, we saw the number of visitors on our website increase by 30% on average. And although the private sector is not advertising much these days, we recorded an increase of governmental communications which we do at a fee,’’ he pointed.
Seneweb is not the only online outlet to have recorded an increase in the number of visitors during this outbreak. Other major online media organisations across West Africa including Banouto Media in Benin, MediaForce-Afrique in Senegal, and International Centre for Investigative Reporting in Nigeria have all recorded a massive surge in number of visitors.
Although this is yet to translate into increased revenue streams for some outlets, Ade Simplice Robert, General Manager of MediaForce-Afrique, thinks that it presents an opportunity for online media organisations to gain more recognition.
The coronavirus pandemic is posing a serious challenge to the revenue streams of a number of media organisations. However, the spike in online media visits and the prospects of improved revenue in the online space could be the potential accelerator to a digital revolution in the media industry and the switch towards online media. While the pandemic is having a devastating effect on legacy media,it highlights the growing viability of digital media platforms . In the context for West Africa where internet connection remains poor and what is available remains highly priced, the viability of online media platforms may still not be certain and would continue to require deeper analysis and reflections by all stakeholders.
