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Police in Kwara State Must End Arbitrary Detention of Journalists – MFWA

Kwaku Asante
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Police in Kwara State Must End Arbitrary Detention of Journalists – MFWA

The arrest and detention of NewsDigest’s Editor, Gidado Yushau, by Nigerian Police is an affront to press freedom. The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) urges the authorities in Nigeria to ensure the immediate release of the journalist, together with the webmaster of the said online newspaper.

Plain-clothed police officers from Kwara State stormed the editor’s residence in Abuja the night of October 29, 2019 and whisked him away to the Wuye District Police Station in Abuja, according to media reports.

The arrest came five days after some police officers in Lagos State arrested Adebowale Adekoya, the webmaster of the Abuja-based online medium. Adekoya has been in detention at the Wuye Police Station since his arrest on October 24, 2019.

According to PRNigeria, four detectives left the Police Station with Yushau and Adekoya in a blue vehicle, en route to the Kwara State capital, Ilorin. The newspaper also reported that it had intelligence that the police are on the hunt for Alfred Olufemi, the author of an investigative story revealing a scandal at the factory of a former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria located in Kwara State. 

While the police have not given any official reason for the arrest, the alleged hunt for Olufemi has established a link between the police action and the article titled “Inside Kwara factory where Indian hemp smoking is ‘legalized” which was published on May 19, 2018.

“It defies logic that something that happened last year May would be resuscitated now, a year and a half after the report was published by the newspaper,” PRNigeria quoted the lawyer Yunus Abdulsalam as saying.

The lawyer insisted that the alleged ‘defamatory’ offence is one that permits both the NewsDigest’s Editor and webmaster to be granted bail, and so urged the police to release his clients “without further ado.”

The MFWA calls on the police to officially state the reasons for the arrests and detention of the journalists and to grant them bail to end this flagrant abuse of power. 

Waiting for Justice: No Redress for Killings in Recent Years, Other Violations against Journalists in 2019

Kwaku Asante
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0
Waiting for Justice: No Redress for Killings in Recent Years, Other Violations against Journalists in 2019

Over the past ten months, the MFWA has recorded about 70 violations against journalists and other media workers in West Africa. Physical attacks, arbitrary arrests and detentions are the most commonly perpetrated violations against journalists. Threats and the seizure of equipment of the victims are also being increasingly employed to intimidate journalists.

The MFWA’s daily monitoring of the Press freedom landscape in the sub-region shows a disturbing trend of violations against journalists and media practitioners that often go uninvestigated, much less punished.

On the occasion of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists (IDEI), the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) makes an urgent appeal for justice for journalists who have been physically attacked and/or arbitrarily detained in relation to their work since the beginning of 2019. We also highlight cases of killing and disappearances in recent years that are still waiting for justice.

Outstanding Impunity Issues

The family of Ahmed Hussein Suale, a member of the Tiger Eye PI team led by investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas are yet to receive justice after unknown gunmen shot and killed him in Accra on January 16, 2019.

In what certainly raises deep concern over the safety of journalist situation in Nigeria, four journalists were killed in separate incidents in the course of 2017.

Famous Giobaro, was a desk editor with the state-owned Glory FM 97.1 in Bayelsa State. His family is yet to receive justice after unknown attackers shot and killed him at his residence on April 16, 2017.

Lawrence Okojie, Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) in Edo State was shot and killed by unknown assailants as he was heading home from work on July 8, 2017.  Okojie’s family are still waiting for justice.

Ikechukwu Onubogu, a cameraman with Anambra Broadcasting Services (ABS) was found dead with bullet wounds on November 16, 2017, four days after he was reported missing by his family.

Related Story: Nigeria: Four Journalists Killed in 8 Months

Abdul Ganiyu Lawal, a freelance broadcast journalist in Ekiti State was found dead in the bush on November 23, 2017.

In each of the cases, the victim was shot dead by unknown gunmen in circumstances that are yet to be unravelled. Despite a petition to the Inspector General of Police in Nigeria by the MFWA in 2018, these cases are still unresolved.

In Guinea, the family of journalists El Hadj Mohamed Diallo, who was shot dead on February 5, 2016 while on duty for news website Guinee 7, are yet to receive justice. In a controversial verdict issued on January 9, 2018, the judge, Mangadouba Sow, sentenced Souleymane Bah, a former opposition politician, to life imprisonment and two others to two years in imprisonment each, all of them in absentia. Up till none of the convicts has served their term.

During an event to mark the World Press Freedom Day, 2019, then Minister of Justice, Check Sako has admitted that justice was not administered in the case and promised that there would be retrial to remedy the situation. However five months after this promise, nothing has been done.

Besides these emblematic cases of impunity, several violations have been perpetrated against journalists in the course of 2019, with all the perpetrators going unpunished and the victims given no compensation.

Each of 12 cases of physical attacks and arbitrary arrests/detentions have been recorded. Among these is the unending case of Jones Abiri, editor of the Daily Source newspaper who was re-arrested on March 30, 2019 about six months after he was released on court orders from an illegal two-year detention. Abiri’s second spell in prison lasted seven months, as he was released on bail on October 25, 2019.

The Nigerian Government has not only failed to pay 10 million Naira (about US$27,500) damages awarded to the journalist in an Abuja High Court ruling on September 18, 2018,  but is continuing to harass him with further detentions.

Still in Nigeria, there has been no closure on the case of Precious Owolabi, a journalist with Channels Television, who was fatally hit by a bullet while he was covering a violent confrontation between security forces and protesters in Abuja on July 22, 2019.

In another case of arbitrary arrest and detention, national security operatives in Ghana on  June 27, arrested and detained Emmanuel Ajarfor Abugri, deputy editor, and Emmanuel Yeboah Britwum, a reporter of ModernGhana.com after storming the offices of the online newspaper.  The journalists, who were detained for three days, reported being tortured.

Call on the Governments of Countries Concerned to Take Measures to end Impunity

The MFWA strongly condemns the murders, arbitrary arrests and harassments committed against journalists in the performance of their duties.

In view of the above, the MFWA reiterates its call on the government of Nigeria to expedite investigations into the killing of the four journalists in 1997 and to ensure justice for the family of Precious Owabi, who was killed while covering the recent crackdown on a protest by the Shia group in Nigeria.

We further urge the government of Guinea to recall the case of Elhadj Mohamed Diallo and ensure that justice is served.

Media Regulator Withdraws Licences of Two Radio Stations

Vivian Affoah
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Media Regulator Withdraws Licences of Two Radio Stations

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has learnt with great concern the closure of two radio stations by the Haute Autorité de la Communication (HAC), and appeals to the media regulator in Guinea, to continue to dialogue with the management of the affected radio stations to reach an amicable settlement.

The HAC announced on October 30, 2019 that it had withdrawn the licences of Radio Continental FM and Ado FM, both based in Conakry, after investigating a complaint from the Ministry of Information and Communication that the two stations had illegally installed their transmitters on the facilities of the state broadcaster, Radio Télévision Guinéenne (RTG).

 “After verification, it was established that those transmitters corresponded exactly with 98.8 MHZ and 96.9 MHZ frequencies, belonging to Radio Continental FM and Ado FM respectively,” the HAC said, adding that the two media houses “have violated the spirit and content of the specifications relating to the establishment and operation of private radio and television stations.”

The Management of the two stations have accepted charges made against them but insist that the closure of their radio stations was disproportionate.

Meanwhile, the union of private broadcasters, URTELGUI, has expressed concern at the closure of the stations and called for an amicable settlement. The President of the Union, Sanou Kerfella Cisse, indicated that his outfit will meet the authorities to seek a peaceful resolution of the matter.

The MFWA equally calls for a negotiated settlement of the differences between the HAC, the Ministry of Communication, and the two radio stations. We further call on the two stations to take steps to regularise their operations to avoid future problems with the regulatory authority.

MFWA, Partners Organise Media-Security Forum to Promote Journalists’ Safety in Guinea

Kwaku Asante
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MFWA, Partners Organise Media-Security Forum to Promote Journalists’ Safety in Guinea

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) in collaboration with the partner organisation in Guinea, Association Guineenne des Editeurs de la Presse Independante (AGEPI), is organising a Media – Security Agencies Forum to promote the safety of journalists in Guinea.

The Forum is being organised on October 28, 2019, as part of the MFWA’s activities to mark the Internal Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists which is observed worldwide on November, 2, 2019.

The Forum will bring together senior officers from the police and gendarmerie and media stakeholders made up of journalists, editors, media owners, other media experts, journalism training institutions, officials of the media regulatory bodies and press freedom organisations in Guinea to discuss strategies for improving relations between the media and state security agencies  with a view to promoting journalists’ safety.

To further strengthen and guide police-media relations and improved safety of journalists, participants at the forum would also discuss and agree on an outline for the development of a Framework on Police-Media Relations and Safety of Journalists. A consultant would later be engaged to develop a Framework that would spell out the modalities for greater cooperation between the two bodies to foster mutual understanding of the roles of the police and the media in Guinea.

The forum will end with the setting-up of a National Committee on Media Freedom and Safety of Journalists. The committee will be made up of national level Media NGOs, regulatory and auto-regulatory bodies, security forces, government ministries, academia would advocate for the safety of journalists and an end to impunity in Guinea. The Committee would also oversee the implementation of the Framework on Police-Media Relations and Safety of Journalists.

The intervention comes at an opportune time because Guinea is heading into legislative elections in December this year with presidential elections scheduled for late 2020.

Generally, election periods are some of the tense moments when there is increased risk of conflict between the police and political actors on one hand and the media on the other hand as a result of increased interface between them.

It is therefore expected that the Forum will further strengthen police-media relations and improve the safety of journalists in the country, particularly during, before and after the upcoming elections.

The intervention adds to a number of similar ones successfully organised by the MFWA, and other partners in in the run-up to elections in Ghana (2016), Liberia (2017), Sierra Leone (2018) and Mali (2018) and Nigeria (2019) which contributed to improved relations and collaboration between the media and the security agencies.

The intervention in Guinea is being implemented with support from IFEX and OSIWA.

MFWA Board Makes New Appointments, Decries Decline in Press Freedom   

Kwaku Asante
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MFWA Board Makes New Appointments, Decries Decline in Press Freedom   

The Board of Directors of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has appointed renowned Senegalese journalist and media expert, Ms. Sophie Ly Sow, as the new Chairperson of the Board for a three-year term. The Board has also appointed Ms. Fatoumata Yansane Balde, a prominent women’s rights and civil society leader from Guinea, as a new member of the Board.

The new appointments were made at the end of the Board’s recent meeting in Accra, Ghana, on October 16, 2019.

The new Board Chairperson takes over from Mr. Edetaen Ojo, a prominent freedom of expression advocate and Executive Director of the Nigeria-based Media Rights Agenda (MRA). Mr. Ojo was appointed as Chairman of the Board in 2014. Ms. Balde takes the place of veteran international broadcaster and media expert, Mr. Soulé Issiaka of Benin.

Ms. Ly Sow currently serves as the Director of Senegal-based private consulting firm, NEXUS Groupe. She has several years of experience leading and managing non-profits and media-related projects.

Among many other experiences, Ms. Ly Sow opened and managed the West Africa office of Panos Institute in Dakar, Senegal, from 1992 to 1994. She served as Secretary General of the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) in Montreal, Canada, from 1995 to 2001. From 2005 to 2007, Ms. Ly Sow was in charge of the Media Programme of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), and was in charge of Oxfam America’s regional communication from 2007 to 2009.

Ms. Balde is currently the Executive Director of the Coalition of Women Leaders of Guinea, a body that seeks to empower women in the country. She previously served as first Vice President of the National Council for Civil Society Organisations in Guinea. She was also a founding member and General Secretary of the Network of Young Women Leaders of Guinea.

Fatoumata Yansane Balde

The board also issued a resolution at the end of its meeting in which it expressed deep concern about the general decline in press freedom and freedom of expression conditions, as well as the general shrinking of civic spaces in the region.

 

Below is the full resolution adopted by the Board

 

Resolution by the Board of Directors of Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)
At its Meeting held in Accra, Ghana, on October 16, 2019.

 

On October 16, 2019, the Board of Directors of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) met in Accra, Ghana, to discuss and review a number of strategic issues relating to the operations of the organisation as well as the broader issues of media freedom, freedom of expression and media development in the West Africa sub-region.

The meeting was presided over by the Chairman of the Board, Mr. Edetaen Ojo. At the end of the meeting, the Board unanimously adopted and issued this resolution.

 

1. The Board is deeply concerned about the general decline in press freedom, freedom of expression and the general shrinking of civic spaces in the region over the last three years.

 

2. The board is saddened by the fact that countries in the region that served as champions for press freedom and free expression, have ceased to be champions and called for the resurgence of regional leadership on the issues of press freedom and freedom of expression. In this regard, the Board welcomed recent commitments by a number of governments to reenergise efforts on promoting media freedom around the world.

 

3. The Board reiterates its deep concern about the falling standards of professionalism in media practice in many parts of the region and calls on media professional bodies and associations as well as the media community in the region as a whole, to develop and implement effective self-regulatory mechanisms to improve professional standards.

 

4. The Board also notes with significant concern, challenges of media sustainability in the region, which if not effectively and immediately tackled, could reverse the gains made over the years and undermine the media’s role in the democratic consolidation processes in the region.

 

5. Recognising the importance of technology to the overall development of societies, the Board highlights the importance of internet penetration, affordability and access for the overall development of the region. Accordingly, the Board calls on national governments and regional bodies in West Africa to prioritise investments in ICTs and work collaboratively to promote internet freedom in the region. In view of this, the Board condemns the phenomenon of network disruptions and shutdowns and online harassment of all forms.

 

6. The Board remains extremely concerned about the serious challenges posed by extremism, terrorism and drug trafficking to media freedom and practice in West Africa and calls on national governments and regional bodies in West Africa to work collaboratively to address the problem. The Board, on behalf of the MFWA, pledges its support for such efforts through collaborative activities, partnerships and other forms of interventions as may be required to effectively respond to these problems.

The Board hereby approves the work plan and budget of the organisation for 2020.

Adopted in Accra, Ghana, this Wednesday October 16, 2019.

 

 

Civil Society Leaders Jailed for Organising Demonstrations

Vivian Affoah
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Civil Society Leaders Jailed for Organising Demonstrations

On October 22, 2019, a court in Guinea’s capital, Conakry, sentenced five civil society leaders to between six months and one-year jail terms, in what is widely believed to be part of the authorities’ crackdown on dissent.

The five are all members of the coalition Front National pour la Defence de la Constitution (FNDC), a coalition of political parties and civil society organisations in Guinea who are leading the campaign against a third term bid by President Alpha Conde.

The convicted persons include Former Minister of State, Abdourahmane Sanoh, who was sentenced to a year in prison. The four others who were sentenced to a six-month jail term each were Ibrahima Diallo, Sékou Koundouno, Mamadou Baïlo Barry and Alpha Soumah.

They are part of thirteen leaders of the anti-third term campaign who were arrested on October 22 and 23, 2019, ahead of a demonstration that the coalition had called to be staged in the capital, Conakry. The authorities had warned that the march scheduled for October 24 was illegal, and security forces consequently applied lethal force, leading to at least nine deaths on that day.  The civil society leaders were subsequently accused of organising banned protests and inciting civil disobedience.

While the FNDC leaders who merely organised constitutionally legal protests were arrested, detained and sentenced, the state has failed to take any measures to ensure accountability for the killing of the nine protesters or those who were injured.

The MFWA considers the prosecution of these protest leaders as a politically-motivated persecution of dissenting voices in Guinea. This amounts to an attack on freedom of expression, which is guaranteed by Guinea’s constitution. We therefore call for the release of the civil society activists and urge the authorities to ensure that all state actors uphold free expression, and freedom of assembly rights.

Winners Announced – West Africa Media Excellence Awards 2019

Kwaku Asante
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Winners Announced – West Africa Media Excellence Awards 2019

Sama Tounwendsida Hugues Richard of Burkina Faso has been named the 2019 West Africa Journalist of the Year for his impactful reporting of mental illness in Burkina Faso.

Richard was one of 21 finalists selected for outstanding reporting in the sub region. He follows former Joy News journalist from Ghana, Manasseh Azure Awuni, who clinched the award last year, and Seth Kwame Boateng, who won in 2017.

“I am honoured to have won this award,” Richard said. “So many people with mental disabilities are neglected and I knew that it was a story that needed to be told to humanise them.”

The Media Foundation of West Africa (MFWA) invited over 300 guests to participate in the 2019 West Africa Media Excellence Conference and Awards (WAMECA) under the theme “Social Media, Fake News and Elections in Africa.” The three-day event featured renowned speakers from across the sub region who provided insight on key issues surrounding media and the future of journalism on the African continent.

The annual event began on October 17 with a two-day conference that included panel-style discussions on various topics revolving around media across the continent. Editors, managers and influential media practitioners from across West Africa spoke about topics including “Protecting Election Integrity on the Internet” and “Stopping Fake News From Going Viral.”  Various media stakeholders across the continent including Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, The Gambia, Ghana, Cameroon and Nigeria participated in the event.

On Saturday, October 19th, an Awards Ceremony took place to celebrate and promote media excellence in West Africa. The event also hosted the Continental Journalism Award on AU Charter which honoured African journalists who are producing high quality reports on the African Charter on Democracy, Election and Governance (ACDEG).

Destiny Onyemihia from the Voice of Nigeria emerged the overall winner for the Continental Journalism Award on AU Charter. Wagdy Sawahel from University World News – Africa Edition, Egypt and Momar Niang from Ouestaf News, Senegal followed as first and second runner up winners, respectively. All events took place at the Swiss Spirit Alisa Hotel in Accra, Ghana.

Destiny Onyemihia – Overall Winner, Continental Journalism Award on AU Charter Source: Kobby Blay

The Awards Ceremony’s Guest of Honour, Pansy Tlakula, Chairperson of the Information Regulator of South Africa, delivered remarks on the power of journalists throughout the continent despite the many trials they face.

“The profession of journalism is challenged, particularly with the rise of fake news and misinformation,” she said. “This requires journalists to recommit themselves to the code of ethics.”

In addition to Richard’s win at the West Africa Media Excellence Awards, seven other journalists were awarded for impactful storytelling and in-depth coverage of pertinent subjects in Africa. The winners and categories include:

 

Category: Anti-Corruption

Winner: Seriba Kone

Media House: Lepointsur.com

Country: Cote D’Ivoire

Source: Kobby Blay

 

Category: Health

Winner: Sama Tounwendsida Hugues Richard

Media House: L’Observeteur Paalga

Country: Burkina Faso

Source: Kobby Blay

Category: Investigative

Winner: Cletus Umoh Ukpong

Media House: Premium Times

Country: Nigeria

Source: Kobby Blay

Category: Human Rights

Winner: Tobore Ovuorie

Media House: The Nation Newspaper

Country: Nigeria

Source: Kobby Blay

Category: Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Winner: Nabil Ahmed Rufai

Media House: GHOne TV

Country: Ghana

Source: Kobby Blay

Category: Telecommunications and Information Communications & Technology

Winner: Kunle Adebajo

Media House: ICIR

Country: Nigeria

Source: Kobby Blay

 

Business and SMEs

Winner: Tunde Ajaja

Media House: Punch Newspaper

Country: Nigeria

Source: Kobby Blay

Joy News’ Mamavi Owusu Aboagye and the MFWA’s Rachad Bani Samari served as Masters of Ceremony for the event. Facebook, The U.S. Embassy of Ghana, The Hewlett Foundation, Access Now, MTN, DW Akademie, Stanbic Bank and Alisa Hotel were the event’s supporters.

Photos: The West Africa Media Excellence Conference and Awards 2019

Kwaku Asante
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0

The Media Foundation of West Africa (MFWA) invited over 300 guests to participate in the 2019 West Africa Media Excellence Conference and Awards (WAMECA) under the theme “Social Media, Fake News and Elections in Africa.” The three-day event, which took place from October 17-19, featured renowned speakers from across the sub region who provided insight on key issues surrounding media and the future of journalism on the African continent.

The annual event began on October 17 with a two-day conference that included panel-style discussions on various topics revolving around media across the continent followed by  an Awards Ceremony took place to celebrate and promote media excellence in West Africa.

Sama Tounwendsida Hugues Richard of Burkina Faso was named the 2019 West Africa Journalist of the Year for his impactful reporting of mental illness in Burkina Faso. Richard was one of 21 finalists selected for outstanding reporting in the sub region.

Check out photos from the event.

 

 

 

   

Source: Kobby Blay
Sama Tounwendsida Hugues Richard- West Africa’s Journalist of the Year 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MFWA Calls on Guinea Authorities to Restore Accreditation of Al Jazeera Reporters

Vivian Affoah
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0
MFWA Calls on Guinea Authorities to Restore Accreditation of Al Jazeera Reporters

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) considers the detention of two Al Jazeera journalists and the withdrawal of their accreditation as an attack on press freedom and urges the Guinean authorities to allow the journalists do their work without any interference.

On October 17, 2019, the police in Conakry detained Nicolas Haque, head of Al-Jazeera’s office in Dakar and cameraman Hugo Bogaeert, for several hours before releasing them.

The journalists and their local fixer were arrested when they were filming at the Stade du 28 Septembre (28th September Stadium), which is so named to commemorate the killing of over 150 anti-government demonstrators by security forces in 2009.

Hague and Bogaeert, who were in Guinea to make a series of reports on political and economic issues in country, were arrested and detained by police who accused them of “spying and undermining state security”.

The state media regulator, Haute Autoritéde la Communication (HAC) also withdrew the accreditation of the journalists after they accused them of making “ethnocentric reports.”

The MFWA’s sources say the charge of “spying and undermining state security” was later dropped after the intervention of various influential figures including President Alpha Conde.

While we welcome this development, we urge the HAC to restore the journalists’ accreditation. We further urge the HAC to work to protect the media rather than participate and encourage the muzzling of journalists.

Editors Roundtable: Senior Editors Share Perspectives on How to Sustain Media in West Africa

Kwaku Asante
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0
Editors Roundtable: Senior Editors Share Perspectives on How to Sustain Media in West Africa

Rapid accelerations and progressive developments of West African media have left media experts eager about where communication outlets in the sub-region are headed as the digital revolution continues to take force.

On Wednesday, October 16, 2019, the Media Foundation of West Africa (MFWA) hosted an “Editors Roundtable,” under the topic “The Future of the Media in West Africa: Ownership, Professionalism and Sustainability” to discuss how to withstand the revenue crisis which has hit many traditional media houses throughout the continent.

Funded by the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) and moderated by Media General’s Winston Amoah, the host of the 3FM Morning Show, the panel discussion included Olorunyomi Oyedapo, Managing Editor/Publisher, Premium Times, Nigeria; Rodney Sieh, Editor/Publisher, Frontpage Africa, Liberia; Sheriff Bojang, President, Gambia Press Union, The Gambia and Eyram Bashan, a freelance journalist and editor in Ghana. Dean of Communications at the Wisconsin University College, Accra, Professor Kwame Karikari, began the discussion with opening remarks, which walked the audience through how media sustainability has transformed since its inception several centuries ago.

“We have to think beyond advertising,” said Olorunyomi Oyedapo, whose Nigerian newspaper based in Abuja has been in operation since 2011. “With the advent of digital, we have to think outside of the box and rethink how we fund our media.”

Source: Kobby Blay

He further stated that while funding may be in limbo for many media houses, it is critical not to jeopardise journalistic integrity when seeking avenues to secure funds. For instance, Sieh recalled a time when Liberian president George Weah was sworn into office last year, many experts questioned whether it was ethically correct for a local radio station to accept a donation from the President allowing use of a building on real estate property the president owns.

Related: MFWA Engages Media Managers, Editors in Sustainability Issues in West Africa

“It made many wonder whether the station would be influenced in their reporting because of his donation,” Rodney Sieh commented.

In 2018, the non-partisan, pan-African research institution, Afrobarometer released in a study that the public has gradually lost trust in the media. “It appears that a substantial number of Africans are dissatisfied with the current state of the media in their country, at least with regard to the demand for and supply of freedoms,” the report reads. But even so, nearly all Africans rely on mass media for news.

Source: Kobby Blay

“We need to do an introspection about how we do business and keep media sustainable,” said Eryam Bashan, who has experience in management roles at some of Ghana’s top media houses, including TV3, Joy News and GHOne.

Sheriff Bojang added that “when it comes to weak economies, government can help but the questions remain: Can we take anything from the government and maintain our ethical journalistic standards?”

This question along with others was asked during the Q & A session of the discussion where panelists responded to audience members’ remarks. However, the protruding theme throughout the roundtable remained: “Whilst we’re dealing with the recession of press freedom in the medium term, the major problem of the media currently is economic and ethical sustainability,” said Kwame Karikari. At the end of the event, the following recommendations were made:

 

1. Innovation: Media organisations were encouraged to be innovative. They were tasked to cash in on the advancement on technology to repackage news content and output.

 

2. Capacity Building and Enhancement: The need for continuous capacity enhancement on new and innovative ways of              making the news.

 

3. Introduce Business Strategies as Mechanisms for Generating Funds Internally: Media organisations should begin to introduce business modules as part of strategies to internally generate funds

 

4. Fact-Checking: Media organisations should create partnerships with Civil Society Organisations and other research institutions where data are often generated to support the production of credible and factual content.

 

5. Leverage on Media Development Funds Available: There are countries in West Africa that have the Media Development Fund available. Media Organisations could access this fund as an alternative source of financial support to the media organisation.

 

6. Enforce Media Laws: Government to implement/enforce laws to protect the rights and freedoms of journalists and the media in the delivery of their duties. This will drastically reduce the self-censorship among many media outlets.

 

 

 

Police Arrest 13 Civil Society Leaders Ahead of Planned Demonstration

Vivian Affoah
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Police Arrest 13 Civil Society Leaders Ahead of Planned Demonstration

Ahead of a demonstration organised by the Front National pour la Defence de la Constitution (FNDC), police officers in Guinea have arrested over a dozen leading members of the coalition that is leading a campaign against attempts to modify Guinea’s constitution to allow President Conde to seek a third term in office.

Six members of the coalition were arrested on October 12, 2019, while they were preparing to address a press conference. The arrested leaders included Abdourahamane Sanoh, a former Minister of State and national coordinator of FNDC, Abdoulaye Oumou Sowh, the Secretary-General of the Association of the Bloggers of Guinea, Sekou Koundon, Administrator of Balai Citoyen (Citizen’s Broom) and Ibrahima Diallo, Coordinator of Tournons la Page (Let’s Turn the Page), both pro-democracy civil society movements.

On October 13, seven other people, including Badara Koné, the Secretary-General of the youth of the Union des Forces Republicaines, which is a member organisation of the FNDC, were also arrested. They were detained at the Criminal Investigation Department of the Police in Kenien, a suburb of the capital, Conakry.

The police insist that the planned march is illegal and accuse the arrested leaders of stirring up disorder and civil disobedience.

These arrests demonstrate a stern resolve by the authorities to silence all dissenting voices with regard to the planned constitutional changes.  They are a gloomy prelude to a potentially brutal crackdown on people participating in the October 14 elections.

The MFWA, therefore, calls on the police in Guinea to release of all the detained civil society leaders, as their arrest is a violation of their right to assemble peacefully and to express dissenting opinions.

We further urge the authorities to ensure that security forces deployed to control the crowd do so with a human face and avoid using excessive force. We also advise the organisers of the protest to take all precautions against any excesses on the part of the protesters.

West Africa Media Excellence Awards 2019: List of Finalists

Kwaku Asante
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0
West Africa Media Excellence Awards 2019: List of Finalists

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has announced the list of finalists for the 2019 edition of the prestigious West Africa Media Excellence Awards (WAMECA 2019).

This year’s event will be held on Saturday, October 19, at the Swiss Spirit Alisa Hotel, Accra, Ghana and will host the Chairperson of the Information Regulator of South Africa and Former African Commission’s Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information, Advocate Pansy Tlakula, as guest of honour.

The 2019 West Africa Media Excellence Awards received 724 entries from over 15 countries in West Africa. The 5-member Jury of the Awards after a thorough review of the entries shortlisted 21 finalists from six countries.

The shortlisted finalists for WAMECA 2019 are:

Seriba Kone, Lepointsur.com, Cote D’Ivoire

Edward Adeti, Starr FM, Ghana

Bettie K. Johnson-Mbayo, Frontpage Africa, Liberia

Sama Tounwendsida Hugues Richard, L’Observeteur Paala, Burkina Faso,

Cletus Umoh Ukpong, PREMIUM TIMES, Nigeria

Beryl Ernestina Richter, Joy News, Ghana

Mame Diomma Dramé, Ouestaf News, Senegal

Odinaka Kennis Anudu, Business Day, Nigeria

Sawadogo Delwendé Elza Sandrine Clothilde, L’Economiste Du Faso, Burkina Faso

Timothy Ngnenbe, Graphic Online, Ghana

Tobore Ovuorie, The Nation Newspaper, Nigeria

Seth Kwame Boateng, Joy News, Ghana

Joseph Haro, Sidwaya, Burkina Faso

Kunle Adebajo, ICIR, Nigeria

Nabil Ahmed Rufai, GHOne TV, Ghana

Tunde Ajaja, Punch, Nigeria

Tagnan Rodrigue Arnaud, Mutations, Burkina Faso

Emmanuel K. Dogbevi, ICIJ/Cenozo, Ghana

Aneta Chineye Felix, Nigeria, TV360 Nigeria

Justice Baidoo, Joy News, Ghana

Emmanuel Kwasi Debrah, Joy News, Ghana

The winners for the various categories including the West African Journalist of the Year will be announced at the Awards event on the 19th of October, 2019.

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

All 21 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 2019) is supported by Facebook, MTN-Ghana, the US Embassy in Ghana, Access Now, DW Akademie, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Stanbic Bank and Swiss Spirit Alisa Hotel. The event is also supported by over 50 media partners across West Africa.

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

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