West Africa’s biggest journalism event, WAMECA, enters its seventh edition this year. From November 9 to 11, the 2023 edition of the West Africa Media Excellence Conference and Awards (WAMECA) will come off in Ghana’s capital, Accra.
The two-part event will consist of a conference which will run from November 9 – 10, and an awards night which will come off on November 11. Both the conference and awards will be hosted at the World Trade Center, within the Ministries enclave in Accra.
WAMECA 2023 will be held under the theme: Media and Democracy in Africa; and will have as Guest of Honor, the distinguished democracy and human rights advocate, Femi Falana, SAN. It will also host stakeholders in media and democracy from across Africa, including Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, Commissioner, Political Affairs, Peace and Security, PAPS- ECOWAS who will deliver the keynote address.
Other important speakers at the conference will include Emily Fertik, Public Affairs Counsellor, US Embassy, Ghana; Robert Karanja, Senior Director, Africa, Co-Develop; Nick Mathiason, Co-Director, Finance Uncovered, United Kingdom; Tidiane Sy – Founder & Editor, Ouestaf News, Senegal; and Mr. Sadat Anwar, Acting Country Director of OXFAM – Ghana
The conference will bring together government actors, media actors, democracy and governance experts, media activists, academics, members of the diplomatic corps and distinguished journalists.
WAMECA 2023 will host four panels which will discuss the ongoing democratic recession in Africa under the topics – Corruption, Illicit Financial Flows and Democratic Governance in West Africa; The Media, Digital Public Infrastructure Policies and Development in West Africa; Rebuilding and Consolidating Democracy in West Africa: the role of the Media and other stakeholders, and, Mis/disinformation and the threat to democracy in Africa.
Discussants are expected to make recommendations at the end of every panel discussion which will constitute actionable takeaways for media activists, democracy activists, academics, journalists and policymakers.
The conference will then be crowned with an awards night on Saturday, November 11, where journalists in the sub-region who have produced compelling and impactful works will be acknowledged with prizes.
This year’s WAMECA awards received 825 entries from journalists in all 15 West African countries. A jury of 3 judgesshortlisted 17 finalists who will be honoured at the event.
West Africa Media Excellence Conference and Awards (WAMECA 2023) is supported by US Embassy in Ghana, OXFAM Ghana, West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network (WADEMOS), MTN-Ghana, and Stanbic Bank Ghana. The event is also supported by about 50 media partners across West Africa.
The Media Foundation for West Africa is pleased to announce the list of finalists for the 2023 edition of the prestigious West Africa Media Excellence Awards (WAMECA 2023)
The finalists were selected by a 3-member jury made up of distinguished and experienced media experts in Africa after a thorough review and assessment of the stories submitted by the journalists. This year, the Awards received 825 entries from 15 West African countries. The entries were filed by journalists from about 402 media organisations in the West Africa region.
The ultimate winners will be announced at the Awards event on Saturday, November 11, 2023,at the World Trade Centre, Accra, Ghana. The event will be graced by media experts, high-level personalities and delegates from sub-regional bodies and civil society groups.
Below is the list of finalists for WAMECA 2023:
Edineia de Jesus Fernandes de Barros, Record Tv Cabo Verde, Cape Verde
Destiny Abanyem Onyemihia, Voice of Nigeria, Nigeria
Francisca Enchill, Joy News/Corruption Watch, Ghana
Elza Sandrine Sawadogo, L’Economiste du Faso, Burkina Faso
Gbenga Salau, The Guardian Newspaper, Nigeria
Erastus Asare Donkor, Multimedia Group Limited, Ghana
Godfrey George Allaputa, PUNCH Nigeria Limited, Nigeria
Edisângela Semedo Tavares, Jornal Expresso das Ilhas, Cape Verde
Komla Adom, TV3, Ghana
Muhammed Akinyemi, HumAngle Media, Nigeria
Mahamadi Sebogo, Sidwaya, Burkina Faso
Emmanuel Kwasi Debrah, Multimedia Group Limited, Ghana
Abdulwasiu Olokooba, SaharaReporters, Nigeria
Yusuf Akinpelu and Kabir Yusuf, Premium Times, Nigeria
Emmanuel Ayamga, Pulse Ghana, Ghana
Taiwo Alimi, The Nation Newspapers, Nigeria
All 17 finalists will receive a Certificate of Merit. Ultimate winners will receive plaques, certificates and cash prizes.
West Africa Media Excellence Conference and Awards (WAMECA 2023) is supported by the US Embassy in Ghana, OXFAM Ghana, West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network (WADEMOS), MTN-Ghana, and Stanbic Bank Ghana. The event is also supported by about 50 media partners across West Africa.
For more details on the event, contact Abigail Larbi-Odei (+233244867074) and Kwaku Krobea Asante (+233249484528) for media interviews.
A total of thirty-six (36) incidents of freedom of expression violations were recorded this quarter (July-September 2023), with Senegal and Niger at the forefront of the repression. The figure is two per cent (2%) higher than that of the preceding quarter (April-June 2023) which stood at 35.
Senegal recorded six (6) violations and Niger five (5) violations, while Nigeria, Ghana and Mali each recorded four (4) violations each. Guinea and Burkina Faso each recorded three (3) violations. Benin and The Gambia each recorded two (2) violations, with Mauritania, Liberia and Guinea-Bissau each recorded one (1) violation.
Figure 1: Number of violations and countries
The quarter was marred by a wave of arrests and detentions, shutdown of media and physical attacks in Senegal. The crackdown on opposition figures and journalists included detention, for the third time in a year, of Pape Alé Niang, managing editor of the Dakar Matin online news portal and temporary blackout of social media platforms, amidst concerns about the erosion of freedom of expression in Senegal.
Threats against journalists and the suspension of France 24 and RFI point to a broader effort by the military government to control the narrative in Niger. The arrest of journalist Samira Sabou raises further concerns about the safety of media professionals in the country.
Like Niger, junta-controlled Burkina Faso has witnessed a concerning regression in press freedom, marked by the shutdown of Radio Oméga, the suspension of Jeune Afrique and threats against prominent journalist Inoussa Ouédraogo.
Critical media in Guinea are also being targeted by the junta with prominent media outlets like Guineematin.com and Inquisiteur.net inaccessible for months. A ban on processions is still in force, and is brutally enforced, further restricting the civic space.
In terms of the distribution, eighteen (18) of the violations were targeted at journalists and media workers, while five (8) were targeted at media organisations. Six (6) of the violations were directed at citizens and four (4) at activists.
Figure 2 below shows the percentage distribution of violations per type of perpetrator.
This quarter’s freedom of expression monitor also features other important freedom of expression and digital rights developments in the region, including redresses for violations and recommendations to key stakeholders.
The MFWA is pleased to announce the jury for the 2023 edition of the West Africa Media Excellence Awards.
The jury which comprises experienced and celebrated media experts in Africa will assess and shortlist deserving entries for the 7th edition of the Award. They will also determine the ultimate winners of the various categories in the Awards of the 7th edition of WAMECA, which will be held on November 11 at the World Trade Centre in Accra, Ghana.
With special delight, the MFWA presents the profiles of the judges for WAMECA 2023 below:
Joseph Warungu—Kenya
Joseph is a media and communication trainer and consultant with over 30 years of international journalism experience, 20 of which were spent at the BBC in London, where he was head of the BBC African News and Current Affairs Department. He is also a former Knight International Journalism Fellow, who is widely travelled in Africa and beyond, working as a journalist, trainer and moderator of public debates on radio and TV.
Warungu specialises in media management training and enhancing the capacity of media to tell in-depth and compelling stories on development issues such as health, education, climate and energy, business and technology. He also works with non-media organisations, including private companies, public entities, NGOs, academic institutions and international agencies to support their communication needs by equipping them with various skills and tools for effective communication and media engagement.
When not teaching at the Aga Khan Graduate School of Media and Communications in Nairobi, Warungu runs Top Story – a national mentorship programme for young journalists in Kenya, in partnership with 25 national universities. Top Story, which takes the form of a popular reality TV show, won the 2019 Global Youth & News Media Award in Paris for making an outstanding contribution to media literacy.
Warungu has an MA in Media Management from the University of Leeds. Some of the organisations Warungu has trained for include Médecins Sans Frontières; Luminate Africa; Unicef Kenya; UNDP (Oslo); Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (South Africa); United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (Nigeria); Shell (UK); World Conference of Science Journalists (Doha); Human Rights Watch Africa; Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (Ethiopia); National Democratic Institute; Human Rights Watch; Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).
Reyhana Masters—Zimbabwe
Reyhana Masters is a distinguished Hubert Humphrey Alumni with a remarkable career that spans over three decades as a journalist, trainer, researcher, and media and communications consultant throughout the African continent. With extensive experience and expertise in the field, Reyhana has held esteemed senior editorial positions in various media organizations in Zimbabwe and has actively participated in numerous regional media projects, contributing as a content creator and editor.
At the core of her professional pursuits, Reyhana is a passionate advocate for media freedom, freedom of expression, and access to information. Drawing upon her solid background in journalism, she skillfully weaves compelling stories that vividly capture the African context, while simultaneously challenging regressive narratives surrounding freedom of expression and policy issues on the continent.
Reyhana’s comprehensive understanding of the media landscape in the region has been significantly enhanced through her role as a moderator for the African Media Barometer in several countries across the continent. This engagement has provided her with valuable insights into the diverse media environments, enabling her to effectively navigate the complexities and nuances that shape media dynamics in each context. She has also demonstrated her commitment to democratic principles as the editor of three consecutive issues of “So This Is Democracy.”
Furthermore, Reyhana has conducted extensive research and analysis on multiple countries in the southern African region, focusing specifically on the political, economic, and policy frameworks within which the media sector operates.
Notably, she carried out a comparative review of the ACHPR Principles on Freedom of Expression and the 2019 Declaration on Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information
Currently, she is dedicated to addressing issues related to digital violence against women, shedding light on the challenges faced by women in the digital realm and advocating for their safety and well-being.
Hamadou Tidiane Sy—Senegal
Hamadou Tidiane Sy is a seasoned Senegalese journalist and a passionate journalism trainer. He is the founder of the award-winning online news platform (Ouestaf News) specializing in investigations and in-depth reporting. Based in Dakar, he is training the next generation of African journalists, as the founder and Director of E-jicom, a renowned journalism, communication and digital media school.
Tidiane sits on the board of major African media organizations, namely the Dakar-based West Africa Democracy Radio and Africa Check. Recognised as a social innovator in the field of “News and Knowledge” by the Ashoka and Knight Foundations, he was also listed, during the Covid pandemic, amongst the 16 Africans offering the most relevant answers to the pandemic through his journalistic initiative “Reliable information against disinformation” to fight the Covid-19. In 2021 he received the “Media Leadership Award” at the Brussels Rebranding Africa Forum.
As a journalist, Hamadou Tidiane Sy has reported extensively throughout the African continent for the BBC, AFP (Agence France Presse), Global Radio News, Channel Africa, RFI English Service, etc. At the head of Ouestaf, he took part in major global investigation projects, contributing to the global “Panama Papers”, “the Swissleaks”, and “Fatal Extractions.”
Tidiane now doubles as a researcher and has just led a research team which worked on the “Senegalese media in the internet age”. Before that, he worked on a research paper on “online privacy and freedom of expression in Senegal” as a Global Network Initiative (GNI) fellow.
At least 14 incidents of attacks on media houses have been recorded in Ghana in the past decade, with only one receiving redress.
The disturbing trend of invasions of media house premises, including by armed men, destruction of studio equipment, violent disruption of transmission, assault and intimidation of presenters and guests was tracked from 2014-2023.
State security agents (National Security, National Intelligence Bureau and Fire Service) perpetrated five of the attacks while political party activists accounted for three incidents. Controversial pastor, Reverend Isaac Owusu Bempah, attacked two radio stations, while organised groups and unknown individuals accounted for the rest.
On October 7, 2023, a group of about 20 individuals stormed the studios of Accra-based United Television (UTV) during a live broadcast. The assailants intimidated the presenter and guests, causing the station to temporarily go off air.
The primary target of their aggression was Kwame A Plus, known in private life as Kwame Asare Obeng, a prominent social media and political activist and a regular guest on the Showbiz Show. According to the reports, the assailants were not pleased with comments Kwame A Plus and other regular panelists have been making on the show.
Following the ugly incident, the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) delved into its archives and other media reports for similar invasion of media houses. Although the search covered ten years, the incidents were recorded across seven years.
On May 3, 2023, former Regional Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Hardi Pagzaa, physically assaulted radio presenter Sadiq Gariba live on air at Radio Dagbon in Tamale. Gariba had confronted Pagzaa over disparaging comments made about him on another radio station.
2022
Earlier, on January 13, 2022, a group of about 12 thugs attacked Radio Ada, a premier community radio station in the Greater Accra Region. The assailants assaulted journalists, held clients hostage, and vandalized equipment, allegedly in response to the station’s critical programming regarding the controversial Songhor Lagoon lease to Electrochem Ghana Limited, a salt-producing company.
The thugs vandalised studio equipment at Radio Ada
In May 2022, three men on motorcycles attacked Radio Benya in Elmina, assaulting the host and producer of a programme discussing issues related to the fishing industry. The attackers, who are sympathisers of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), were angered when they were named on the programme as part of a group that was undermining effective pre-mix fuel distribution for fisher folks in the area.
2021
In January 2021, an unknown individual breached security protocols at Zylofon FM, and stormed the studio to issue a threat against radio broadcaster and reggae artiste, Blakk Rasta, who was presenting a show. The intruder tampered with some broadcasting equipment causing a disruption in the transmission.
The assault on media outlets has not been perpetrated by thugs and social misfits alone. Some respectable individuals including a pastor and security officers have been involved in the fray.
May 2021
On May 11, 2021, gun-wielding security officers stormed the premises of Accra-based Citi Fm/Citi TV to arrest one of its journalists, Zoe Abu-Baidoo. This is after she was accused of receiving unauthorised video files from her colleague, Caleb Kudah, who had earlier been arrested over filming some vehicles on the premises of the Ministry of National Security.
Broadcast journalists Caleb Kudah and Zoe Abu-Baidoo were the reason the armed security officers stormed the premises of Citi FM/TV
March 2019
On April 1, 2019, officers from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) stormed Nokoranza-based Dero FM and assaulted the station’s staff over an alleged April Fool prank. Based on a report from a listener, the station had called to alert the Fire service of an accident, which turned out to be a hoax. Believing that the station had played a prank on them, the officers went beserk.
In one of the most brazen assaults on a media house, National security operatives raided the offices of ModernGhana.com on June 27, 2019, and arrested the editor and a reporter. The journalists were detained and reportedly tortured in custody. This incident followed a story the online portal carried about the national security minister.
Rev. Owusu Bempah has attacked media houses with thugs two times
On March 15, 2019, Reverend Isaac Owusu Bempah, founder and leader of the Glorious Word and Power Ministry International stormed the premises of Accra-based Radio XYZ with four gun-wielding men. This followed critical remarks made by a presenter at the station, Mugabe Maase, who was the target of the invasion. The assailants caused chaos, as they intimidated and manhandled the administrator and other staff of the radio station. It was the pastor’s second act of violence against a media organization.
2018
Security officers struck once again on August 2, 2018. Accompanied by some armed men from the Ada area, police officers invadedRadio Ada in a bid to arrest presenter DJ Koxterio. The presenter had criticised the traditional chiefs of the area for allegedly failing to account for funds raised during successive celebrations of the annual traditional festival, Asafotufiami.
In the first of his attacks on media houses, Reverend Prophet Isaac Owusu Bempah, who was a guest on a programme at Accra-based Hot FM, lost his temper in the course of an interview and vandalized equipment in the studio. The tantrums followed a challenge thrown by the host for the pastor to produce a miracle to back his reputation as powerful cleric.
2017
There was yet another security services invasion of a radio station on June 30, 2017, when agents of the then Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), now National Intelligence Bureau, stormed and shut down Zaa Radio in Tamale, forcing the station to cease broadcasting. The intelligence agency said the preaching on the station by leaders of one Muslim group could lead to tension with a rival, breakaway group.
On October 18, 2017, a group calling itself the Kumasi Youth Association (KuYA) attacked Daily Guide’s office in Kumasi, demanding an apology for what they considered offensive reportage by the newspaper about the revered king of the Ashantis, Otumfour Osei Tutu II.
2016
On January 5, 2016, a mob attackedJerryson FM, threatening the staff and forcing the station to shut down temporarily. The action of the mob, clients of a collapsed microfinance company who had lost their savings, was based on misinformation that the director of the radio station owned the collapsed microfinance company.
Unfortunately, only the World Press Freedom Day attack on Dagbon FM has received redress, albeit only symbolic. The political activist Mumuni Osman and his accomplice were on May 10, 2023, sentenced to a fine of GH₵3,600.00 (300 USD) each or in default serve a custodial sentence of 18 months’ imprisonment in hard labour.
Status of Redress
In what was hailed as a major push-back against impunity, a court in Accra ruled on January 13, 2023, that Ghana’s National Security Coordinator, the Inspector General of Police and the Attorney General render an apology to Emmanuel Ajarfor Abugri, Editor of the online news portal, ModernGhanaonline.com for the abuse of his rights. The Human Rights Division Court 2 also ordered the heads of these institutions to pay compensation and costs to the journalist. The respondents are also to pay for the journalist’s gadgets including a laptop, two mobile phones and a tablet which were seized by National Security agents.
Unfortunately, the bubble of excitement over this milestone verdict has since fizzled into huge disappointment, as the respondents have so far failed to comply.
It is the same with the “arrest” of the attackers of Benya FM.
“The authorities just wanted to make a show to appease the various calls for action against the attackers. The court discharged the culprits, although it was established they were the guys who stormed our studios, and despite the evidence in the form of the studio equipment that was destroyed,” Programme Manager at Benya FM, Osman Kwaku Dawood, lamented to the MFWA in a telephone chat.
A similar dead-end with regard to the attack on Radio Ada, despite what seemed to be the best efforts of the authorities. The NMC visited the station and met the management to explore ways of getting the perpetrators to face the law. The police offered a financial reward of GHC10,000 for credible information leading to the arrest of suspects. Yet, a year later, the Management of the station lamented to The Fourth Estate that the police were not showing commitment to the case. A year and ten months on, the perpetrators are still at large.
In view of the culture of impunity surrounding previous attacks on media houses, the reported arrest of the invaders of UTV must be hailed with a measure of caution, if not skepticism. The management of UTV, the media fraternity and media rights defenders must continue to follow up to ensure effective prosecution of the perpetrators.
“These attacks and the impunity surrounding them go to the heart of the increasing culture of violent lawlessness in the country. The involvement of personnel of the various security services and political party activists in attacks on media houses is particularly disturbing. First of all, one would expect political parties and their affiliates to be foremost in appreciating the invaluable support the media offers to their activities. Secondly, the security agencies, especially the police, must be seen to be discharging their duties of helping to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of such attacks. But their own involvement encourages other perpetrators,” said Muheeb Saeed, head of Freedom of Expression at the MFWA.
Regarding the way forward, media houses need to undertake an audit of their security mechanisms and reinforce them. The entrance to the premises of media houses must have decent gates with robust security posts, and entry into newsrooms and studios must be subject to electronic clearance.
The NMC, the National Commission for Civic Education and the Information Service Department should step up efforts to sensitise the public about the critical constitutional role of the media in facilitating access to information, and thereby promoting transparent and accountable public service. They must also educate the public to understand that grievances about media content can be reported to the Commission for redress.
Political party leaders should show example to their supporters by their conduct and attitude towards the media. It is important for political parties and politicians to educate their followers to respect the media and to channel their grievances against any media organisations to their leaders for redress. More importantly, the leadership must be seen to take disciplinary action against members of their party who attack the media.
Finally, the leadership of the various security services should call their officers to order regarding their penchant for invading media houses on the least pretext. Errant security agents who attack media organisations or journalists must be disciplined.
In addition to following up to ensure that perpetrators of violence against the media are duly punished, media organisations must themselves adopt a posture of zero tolerance for abusers. It is common to see people attack a media house and easily get sister media organisations offering their platforms to the perpetrators in a matter of hours. This practice must stop in favour of a new practice of formally boycotting bullies for a definite period.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) is appalled at the mob storming of Accra-based UTV during a live broadcast and demands swift and severe retribution.
The brazen attack occurred shortly after the start of the station’s United Showbiz programme on October 7, 2023. A group of thugs which has since been identified to be affiliated to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), stormed the studio, threatening to attack the presenter and her guests.
The violent intrusion forced the station to go off air for a few minutes, only to return to playing commercials. The MFWA has learnt that the main target of the thugs is Kwame A Plus, a media and political activist and outspoken regular guest on the show, and we are particularly concerned about the sequence of events leading to the attack on the television station.
In the first place, the leadership of the NPP wrote a letter to the Despite Media Group, operators of UTV to express concern that the panel was biased and critical of the government. In the subsequent edition of the programme, Kwame A Plus dismissed the content of the NPP letter, described it as intimidating and tore up a copy of it live on air. The media personality has since reported receiving threats from suspected NPP supporters, who apparently decided to execute their threats with the brazen invasion of UTV on October 7, 2023.
While we condemn the attack, we wish to commend the police for their swift intervention in arresting 16 of the thugs. We will be following the case, and hope that it will be pursued to its logical conclusion.
We also commend the government, for condemning, through the Ministry of Information, the assault on the TV station and reaffirming its commitment to press freedom. We have also noted the NPP party’s statement deploring the incident and dissociating itself from the act of thuggery. We urge the NPP leadership to go further to investigate the incident and apply the relevant party disciplinary measures against the perpetrators.
The attack on UTV is the fourth in less than two years in Ghana, after similar violent invasions of Radio Ada (Greater Accra Region), Benya FM, (Elmina, Central Region), Radio Dagbon (Tamale Central Region). Incidentally, the perpetrators in the last three cases were political party affiliates. We, therefore, call on political party leaders to call their supporters to order to stem the tide.
An investigative story by The Fourth Estate which exposed serious lack of adherence to regulatory requirements for the manufacture and advertisement of herbal medicine, has jolted Ghana’s foods and medicines regulator into action. The Foods and Drugs Authority (FDA) has announced that it is clamping down on media houses which advertise unapproved herbal medicine products.
The announcement which is contained in a news report by The Ghanaian Times newspaper was made by the Head of Communications of the FDA, Mrs. Rhoda Appiah. She is reported to have stressed that the media’s gloss over the requirement for persons promoting a non-existent herbal product, MACOFA, to provide evidence of FDA approval as precondition for advertisement, violated the law.
Consequently, all such media houses are liable for sanctioning and, going forward, the FDA will sanction them.
“Pursuant to Section 129 of Act 85, “person(s) who contravene (are) liable to summary conviction or a fine not less than 7500 penalty units and not (less) than 15 years and not more than 25 years imprisonment or both,” Mrs. Appiah is quoted as telling The Ghanaian Times in an interview.
An enterprising investigative piece, the story details the Fourth Estate’s test of the rigours of regulation for herbal medicine manufacture, advertisement and sale in Ghana, and its discovery that though there are requisite laws in place, enforcement and adherence are loose.
As part of the general poor adherence to regulation, The Fourth Estate also found out that many media houses fail woefully in their watchdog role of ensuring that herbal medicine promoters do not evade the laws regulating sales.
The story also exposed worrying laxity in the enforcement of laws governing the certification of herbal medicine manufacturers and products, and the fact that these laxities are partly due to negligence on the part of staff at the Traditional Medicine Practice Council – an agency of Ghana’s Ministry of Health mandated to regulate the registration of traditional medicine practitioners and their place of practice.
Enterprising story
‘Dangerous endorsements: Expose on herbal medicine advertising in Ghana’ is the outcome of an enterprising initiative by The Fourth Estate. After observing that media platforms are inundated with advertisements for herbal medicine, a question as to whether all of these herbal medicine brands are approved for sale by the regulatory authorities popped up. The Fourth Estate then decided to test that question.
Reporters, Adwoah Adobea-Owusu and Kwaku Krobea Asante, came up with the idea of admixing three popular soft drinks – Malta Guinness, Coca-Cola and Fanta – and then packaging it as a powerful panacea to a plethora of ailments, from menstrual cramps to impotence. For good measure, the pair named the fake concoction MACOFA, which is an acronym from the names of the soft drinks used in the concoction.
The pair then sought advertisement placements for the fake concoction on major media platforms across the country and got eight such media houses in four different regions which accepted to advertise without demanding an FDA approval certification. Among these media houses was the state-owned newspaper, Daily Graphic.
Meanwhile, as many media houses accepted money and went to town with the supposed unparalleled efficacy of MACOFA, the Fourth Estate approached the Traditional Medicine Practice Council and tested the regulation process there. The team succeeded in registering a non-existent company, Krodwoa Enterprise Limited and a random name, Maxwell Akromah Duah, as the owner of the company.
Big story
As part of the packaging of the story, The Fourth Estate put together a documentary which was first premiered at a forum organized by the MFWA. At this forum, deputy Minister of Health, Mahama Asei Seini, promised that an investigation would be commissioned into the licensure of the non-existent company behind MACOFA and that whoever is found culpable would be sanctioned.
Following the publication of the story, media houses across the country sourced, sampled, or republished it, in whole, on their platforms. They include Globe TV, a channel based in Techiman, in the Bono Region, within the middle belt of Ghana.
Others are The Ghanaian Times, which subsequently did a follow-up interview with the FDA, Myjoyonline, national newswire service, the Ghana News Agency, and ATL FM, a station based in Cape Coast in Ghana’s central region.
The rest are Business News Ghana, Modernghanaonline, and Yen.com which focused its story on the fact that two of Ghana’s biggest media houses participated in the advertisement of the fake herbal concoction without FDA approval.
Meanwhile, the story has re-sensitized media houses to the duty of ensuring that they demand FDA certification before they advertise herbal medicine products.
On the occasion of this year’s International Day of Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) which is being marked globally on September 28, the Media Foundation for West Africa urges governments, the media and civil society in West Africa to collaborate to establish a culture of open and transparent governance through the enactment and effective implementation of Access to Information (ATI) laws.
In this regard, authorities of West African states are encouraged to ensure that citizens are empowered to demand accountability from public institutions by using ATI mechanism.
To this end, the MFWA is also working with its partner organisations across West Africa to ensure a proper and extensive understanding of the laws by citizens of the various countries.
Ghana
Ghana’s RTI Law was passed in March 2019 and came into force in 2020 with the establishment of an RTI Commission mandated to ensure compliance. The MFWA has since been commended in Parliament and awarded by the Right to Information (RTTI) Commission for its activities to promote and test the Law.
Convinced that RTI laws would be pivotal in promoting accountability and a game-changer in the fight against corruption, the MFWA decided to roll out a comprehensive project of awareness creation and capacity-building among citizens.
Since the IDUAI celebration of 2022, MFWA has organised training workshops that have benefited about one thousand citizens. From November 24, 2022, the Media Foundation for West Africa has been organising series of training workshops on Ghana’s Right to Information (RTI) Law for radio stations and citizens across Ghana. The workshop hosted over fifty (50) citizen groups in Tarkwa, Bogoso, Prestea, and Obuasi, all of them within the mining hub of Ghana. The MFWA also built the capacities of four (4) leading radio stations in these communities in using the RTI Law to develop stories as well as ensure accountability in the regions.
Training workshops have continued into 2023. Beginning in April, the MFWA conducted a series of one-day capacity-building workshops for citizens in the Ashanti and Greater Accra regions of Ghana on the country’s Right to Information (RTI) Law. The beneficiaries who were made up of students, journalists, traditional and religious leaders, youth advocates, businessmen and women, teachers and persons with disability were exposed to the RTI law and application processes. The one-day workshops educated the participants about Ghana’s RTI law and equipped them with the capacity to request information on their own. The training workshops aimed at enhancing the participants’ ability to demand accountability, particularly at the local governance levels.
To complement the output from the training workshops, the MFWA set up the Citizens Access to Information Support Centre. The Centre provides support to applicants who are using Ghana’s RTI law to request information from public institutions either at the local, regional or national levels. It also provides guidance on how the public, particularly, the vulnerable and marginalized in society, can request information or appeal a decision using the law. General questions about the right to information law, including the processes and requirements are answered when applicants reach out to the Support Centre. A dedicated email and telephone line and WhatsApp platform have been provided for that purpose.
Still in its efforts to deepen public knowledge about the law and its implementation, the MFWA published a Q&A, explaining the application process, the fees applicable, the process of appeal among other key elements of the RTI law.
Gambia
To enhance the implementation of the Gambia’s Access to Information (ATI) Act, 2021, the MFWA’s partner organisation, the Gambia Press Union (GPU) held a two-day workshop for 20 journalists on the ATI legislation on February 9th and 10th.
The Gambian, Minister of Information, Lamin Queen Jammeh, who graced the occasion said “Access to Information is a basic human right and it enhances informed decision-making and encourages participation in national development.”
The Gambia is yet to formally implement its RTI law and establish the RTI Commission. The MFWA is therefore working with the GPU and the Ministry to ensure that the right mechanisms are put in place for the effective implementation of Gambia’s RTI law.
Guinea Bissau
The MFWA is also working with its partner in Guinea Bissau, Sindicato De Jornalistas e Tecnicos De Comunicacao Social Guinea Bissau (SINJOTECS), to promote access to information in Guinea Bissau.
On Friday, July 15, 2022, the two organisations, officially launched a three-year project titled Promoting media freedom and access to quality information in Guinea Bissau. The project is funded by the EU (Guinea Bissau) and seeks, among others, to strengthen the capacity of media organisations and practitioners to produce quality, fact-based and ethical content, using information derived from credible sources. While the Guinea Bissau Constitution guarantees the right to access public information, the enabling legislation is yet to be passed. The MFWA and SINJOTECS are collaborating in advocacy for the passage of the law.
ATI laws, if effective, can empower citizens to demand effective public service delivery, ensure value for money in the execution of public works and contracts, as well as promote openness and transparency in public administration. It is a critical ammunition in the anti-corruption legal arsenal. The MFWA is therefore committed to its promotion and urges all actors to collaborate towards passing and effectively implementing RTI laws as an integral part of efforts to fight corruption, promote accountable governance and uphold human rights. It is also urging all stakeholders to maximize the use of online spaces for proactive disclosure of information.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) is implementing a four-year project aimed at improving the media landscape, press freedoms and digital rights (especially for women) in Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone. It is also aimed at promoting investigative journalism for accountable governance in the three countries.
The project titled “Enhancing Press Freedom, Women’s Digital Rights and Accountable Governance in Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone” is being implemented in the three countries with funding support from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Ghana.
Below are the specific expected outcomes:
Reduced incidents of media rights violations, increased responsiveness by authorities to addressing media rights violations to reduce acts of impunity for crimes against journalists in the three target countries;
Increased investigative and anti-corruption reporting (at least 20 investigative reports) that expose public sector wrongdoing and corruption, and prompt authorities to adopt policies and practices that limit corruption in the public sector;
Increased public participation in governance discourse and demand for transparency and accountability in the utilisation of public resources with at least 200 RTI requests filed by citizens to seek information from public institutions through the use of RTI laws;
Reduced incidents of online harassment against women; increased participation in online engagements among women; and increased stakeholder engagements on discussions and debates around global internet rights norms and standards as espoused by the FOC
As part of efforts to ensure a successful project, MFWA seeks to conduct a Mid-Term Evaluation of the project. To this end, the MFWA invites interested and competent consultants to submit applications and quotations for the functions of conducting an overall project evaluation as specified in the scope of work below:
Scope of Work
The objective of this work is to evaluate the implementation of the project so far to assess its achievements and impact on targeted beneficiaries of the project vis-à-vis the baseline, the objectives, and expected outcomes; and to also indicate challenges and gaps that can inform the successful implementation of the remaining two years of the project and also future project planning and programming.
Specific Tasks
Read the project documents, activity reports, monitoring report etc. to be abreast of how the project implementation has panned out so far.
Develop an instrument for data collection to be reviewed and agreed by the MFWA before the start of work.
Interview project beneficiaries –from Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone,
Conduct focus group discussions with project beneficiaries;
Produce a report highlighting key recommendations to improve on implementation of the project and for future project planning.
Timelines
The consultant will be engaged for 20 working days (November 15 – December 20 2023)
Method of Submission of Application/Quotation
Hardcopies of applications should reach the MFWA on or before October 10, 2023, and to the address below:
The Executive Director,
Media Foundation for West Africa,
Aar-Baakor Street FA678
Ogbojo, Accra, Ghana
Softcopies of applications should reach the MFWA on or before October 10, 2023 and to the following email addresseses: info[@]mfwa.org and copy vivian[@]mfwa.org.
Guinea recorded twelve (12) violations to emerge as the country with the worst freedom of expression (FOE) record in the second half of 2023. Senegal followed closely with five (5) violations, mostly linked to the rumpus around the prosecution of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko.
Ghana and Nigeria recorded three (3) violations each. Burkina Faso, Togo, The Gambia, and Mauritania reported two (2) violations each, while Mali, Niger, Liberia, and Benin recorded one (1) violation each.
During the period from April to June 2023, a total of thirty-five (35) incidents of freedom of expression violations were recorded, compared to the preceding quarter (January-March 2023), which saw 55 violations. This represents a significant decline of thirty-six percent (36%) in the number of violations.
The second quarter was marred by a series of arrests and detentions, restrictions on social media and the internet, as well as physical attacks on journalists and media professionals. A total of 18 journalists fell victim to these violations. Guinea led the charge against journalists with 12 recorded violations. These incidents included physical assaults, arrests, and detentions. Media organizations were not spared either; on May 18, 2023, gendarmes from the telecommunications regulatory authority (ARPT) allegedly stormed the headquarters of the Afric Vision press group in Conakry, the capital of Guinea. The attackers dismantled and confiscated transmitters from two radio stations.
Senegal experienced violent clashes and a shutdown of the internet, together with a pro-opposition TV station, while nine protesters were killed by security forces, following the conviction of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko on June 1, 2023.
In Nigeria, Niger, Benin, and Mali, at least three journalists and activists were arrested or sentenced over comments they made online. The authorities cited existing cybercrime laws to suppress dissenting voices, raising concerns about the instrumentalization of such laws.
In terms of distribution, twenty-three (23) of the violations targeted journalists and media workers, while five (5) were aimed at citizens. Four (4) violations were directed at media organizations and three (3) activists.
The second quarter report also features other important freedom of expression and digital rights developments in the region, including redresses for violations and recommendations to key stakeholders.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) deplores the brutal attacks and violent arrests of several demonstrators in Accra and calls on the authorities in Ghana to investigate the mayhem which also saw some journalists assaulted.
Hundreds of Ghanaians gathered outside the Jubilee House, Ghana’s presidential palace, on September 22, 2023, for a protest against economic hardship, according to the organisers, Democracy Hub. However, barely 15 minutes after the gathering, heavily armed officers swooped on the protesters, brutalised some and arrested many others. Many of the protesters were detained late into the night at several police stations in Accra, with a few spending the night in police cells.
The Police said in a statement said 49 people were involved, adding that they were arrested for “the flagrant disregard of a court process.”
The organisers, Democracy Hub, dispute the police claim, insisting that the process had not resulted in an injunction being served on them to from demonstrating.
One of the victims, Franklin Mensah, told the MFWA in a telephone conversation that he was arrested alongside 14 others simply for wearing protest T-shirts. “
“We were standing at the 37 Military Hospital bus stop after being dispersed from the gathering point outside the Jubilee House. Then some police officers arrived in three pick-up cars. They initially invited us to “talk to you”, but ended up driving us to the police headquarters. Then they picked us up in groups and sent us into detention at different police stations, still without telling us our offense. I was released around 9 o’clock in the evening”, Mensah said.
Accra-based JoyNews reported that the police interrupted its crew’s interview with a protester and hauled away the interviewee.
While not downplaying the unwarranted attacks and arrests of the protesters, the MFWA finds it disheartening that the police extended their hostility to the media. In the said incident involving the JoyNews crew, the police pushed aside the reporter, Maxwell Agbagba, in a fit of bad temper, before dragging away protester who was being interviewed.
The police also assaulted a reporter with Metro TV and arrested a BBC reporter, Thomas Naadi alongside his cameraman in the orgy of indiscriminate crackdown. The MFWA has also seen a YouTube video in which Metro TV’s Bridget Otoo recounts how her dress was ripped off by the rampaging police officers.
Protests are part of the formal channels of expressing dissent in any democratic society and its policing is a matter of law and not arbitrariness and wanton brutality as the Ghana police sadly demonstrated. We support the protest organisers’ argument that in the absence of actual service, the Police application for an injunction does not operate automatically to stop them from proceeding with the protest.
In any case, even participants in a banned protest still have a right to decent treatment and protection against cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment as guaranteed under international human rights instruments and Ghana’s constitution. The mass arrests and widespread assault on what was clearly a peaceful protest also failed to meet the principles of legality, necessity and proportionality under international law, while widespread seizure of phones and other digital devices without judicial authorisation is flagrant abuse of the victims’ right to privacy.
The MFWA reiterates its abhorrence of police violence against peaceful protesters and urges the authorities to ensure full accountability for the disastrous policing the world witnessed on September 21, 2023, from the Ghana police in order to restore public confidence in the service.
Embattled Ghanaian journalist Noah Narh Dameh has died. The stalwart and beloved figure at Ghana’s premier community radio station, Radio Ada, passed on Sunday, September 17, 2023, at his residence in Ada in the eastern part of Greater Accra Region.
Dameh, had been battling with health issues since he was remanded in custody for a week from March 30, 2023, in a legal odyssey that had taken a heavy toll on him physically, psychologically and professionally.
Noah Dameh rose through the ranks to become the Deputy Station Coordinator at Radio Ada. A passionate professional, he dedicated his career to delivering news, stories, and insights to the Dangme people and beyond. His distinctive voice and unwavering commitment to community service earned him the admiration of many.
But Dameh’s health began to deteriorate following a series of events triggered by his relentless reporting on the controversial lease of the Songhor Lagoon to a single investor. In the pursuit of justice, the journalist had deplored grave human rights violations, including arbitrary arrests, detentions, prosecutions, and brutalities against Ada residents in connection with the lease.
The breaking point came when Dameh posted on his Facebook wall the picture of an Ada indigene in police custody who had been handcuffed to a hospital bed. In the accompanying text, the journalist claimed that the young man was being abused by the police at the alleged instance of Daniel McKorley, Chief Executive Officer of Electrochem Ghana Limited, the company awarded a contentious salt mining lease in Ada.
In response, Electrochem Ghana Limited filed a lawsuit against him, alleging defamation against their Chief Executive Officer, businessman Daniel McKorley, also known as MacDan.
In December 2022, the Tema Magistrate Court discharged Noah, citing lack of jurisdiction. But in an unexpected twist of fate, the police re-arrested and remanded the journalist for two weeks of which he served one week, before being granted police enquiry bail of GH₵ 60,000.00.
He has since been appearing in court and distracted from work, which is one of the objectives of SLAPP actions. On July 3, 2023, the presiding judge accused Noah Dameh of impersonating himself, threatening to issue a bench warrant for his arrest. The judge said she could not recognize Noah Dameh, who had grown lean due to ill-health.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) on March 30, 2023, petitioned Ghana’s Attorney General to intervene and end the prosecution of the journalist.
On April 10, 2023, the MFWA, the Ghana Journalists Association in collaboration with the broadcast and print media owners’ groups, organised a press conference to demand an end to Noah Dameh’s prosecution and the repeal of the law on false publication which was being used to prosecute him and other journalists.
The presiding judge of the Tema Magistrate Court, Benedicta Antwi during a case management on July 31, 2023, referred Noah’s case to the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).
Noah with his deteriorating health has since been appearing at the ADR center at Tema for a resolution on his issue. On Friday, September 14, 2023, during the adjudication, the plaintiff, Bernard Korley, who initially sued Noah Dameh for Electrochem Ghana Limited told Noah to apologise and publish same in newspapers across the country that he defamed MacDan.
“He said I should do that because MacDan is a big man and a Chief. So, I told him I don’t know MacDan as a Chief and also didn’t publish anything about him in newspapers. I told him if it is about the post I made on Facebook, I will pull it down after everything,” Dameh told The Fourth Estate, the MFWA’s accountability journalism project.
The journalist was to appear in court on September 25, 2023, for the trial of the case since it has failed to find a resolution at the ADR, but fate intervened to end the suffering.
He is a dedicated Ghanaian community journalist who devoted 25 years of his life to community storytelling and solution-focused journalism. Throughout his career, Dameh covered a wide range of topics, from local news to international affairs, always with a dedication to providing accurate and insightful reporting. His storytelling prowess was unmatched, making him a household name, especially in the Dangme land.
In confirming the incident to the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), the management of Radio Ada described Dameh as a true patriot and a model of journalistic integrity.
“Noah is a warrior, defender, and survivor and fights not for himself but for people around him to have a smile and he is ever ready to do that with the last blood in him even if it will cause his life like now. Noah was a waymaker and a kingmaker, his demise means a lot to us,” Program Producer at Radio Ada, Gideon Amanor Dzeagu said.
He indicated that Dameh’s determination would gear and steer them on to seek justice for the betterment of society, and called for the brand of journalism that benefits the voiceless, as practised by the late journalist.
“As we mourn the loss of this tireless advocate for truth and justice, let us also remember the importance of fearless journalism in our society. Noah Dameh’s memory will forever inspire us to stand up for what is right, to speak out against injustice, and to ensure that his work was not in vain.
“In his honour, we must continue the fight for a more just and equitable Ghana, where the voices of the marginalized are heard, and their rights are protected,” Dzeagu added.
Radio Ada said it will announce plans for a special tribute broadcast to honour Noah Dameh’s memory, allowing his listeners to join together in remembering the legacy he leaves behind.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) deeply regrets the passing of activist journalist Noah Narh Dameh for and with whom we fought on all fronts for justice in this matter. The MFWA was considering an application from Dameh to support other incidental expenses linked to his legal defense which was being supported by the fair trade organization, Third World Network.
We are sad that Dameh did not live to celebrate his eventual triumph in this SLAPP suit and his broader campaign against abuses linked to the Electrochem salt mining lease. The MFWA expresses its deepest condolences to Dameh’s family, colleagues at Radio Ada, the entire Ada community, especially the victims of abuse for whom the late journalist fought as well as the media fraternity in Ghana.
