A Takoradi based – Journalist with Citi TV, Akwasi Agyei Anyim says, the World Press Freedom Report is a true reflection of what is happening in the country concerning media practitioners.
According to him, the reports depicts the manner in which the media is muzzled and oppressed from undertaking their duties.
“Some reporters over the years have been maltreated whilst performing their duties. It is worrying but that is the true reflection on what is on the ground,” he mentioned.
Ghana has dropped 30 places from 2021 to rank 60th on World Press Freedom Index 2022 with a score of 67.43
Ghana has also dropped significantly on the continental ranking for the safety of journalists.
African countries ahead of Ghana include Namibia, South Africa, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Gambia and Niger.
Reacting to the reports, he observed that some countries with military rule had done better than Ghana which practices democratic rule.
He further said, deaths and ill treatment of some journalists in Ghana receive little attention where investigations are not conducted thoroughly to bring perpetrators to book.
In his view, journalists work in the interest of the nation, and the public good but the media is confronted with unfriendly environment, but in a governance where security personnel harass media persons is unaccepted.
Because of the treatment given to journalists, they are taken aback as they fear for their safety as well as their lives,” he said.
For him, refusal on the part of some government officials in releasing important information to journalist compel them to use other means to obtain information.
Although the Right to Information Bill has been passed Journalists are denied access to some salient information to aid in their reportage.
” In this current times that we have the right to information law, you get the information as requested. Sometimes the information becomes irrelevant due to timelines…..
For me my understanding of journalism is that you can use other methods as long as it is in the interest of the public,” Anyim noted.
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In addition, he mentioned external influences from media owners who also double as politicians tend to censor reportage of journalists.
Practice of genuine Journalism , he said, is restricted by a journalists’ basic needs to survive thus getting affiliated to political parties in order to obtain favors.
He said, ” it is disappointing the little seriousness attached to investigations done on attacks and death of press men and women”.
