The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has referred to as for the supply of ample safety for journalists who reported on unlawful small-scale mining associated points from mining websites within the nation.
The President of the GJA, Mr Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, made the decision at a press convention in Accra on Wednesday on nationwide points and points associated to media freedom that confronted the nation.
In accordance with Mr Dwum4, the GJA had noticed that the assorted ‘galamsey’ intervention measures that had been being rolled out by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Sources didn’t embody safety measures to make sure the safety of journalists who reported from galamsey websites.
He defined that the media performed a important position and was a key stakeholder within the combat in opposition to galamsey because it make clear areas associated to unlawful small-scale mining actions which may be hidden from the federal government.
Mr Dwumfour, subsequently, urged the Ministry of Lands and Pure Sources to prioritise the protection and safety of the media when rolling out its galamsey intervention programmes and measures.
He recommended the Minister of Lands and Pure Sources, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, for the present of dedication and dedication he had connected to the combat in opposition to unlawful small-scale mining since his appointment.
Mr Dwumfour expressed concern over the delay within the inauguration of a brand new Nationwide Media Fee (NMC), following the tip of the tenure of the outdated Fee in November final yr.
He additional defined that checks performed by the GJA on the difficulty indicated that the delay of the inauguration of a brand new NMC was as a result of some constituents had been both but or late to submit their nominations to the NMC Secretariat.
“As we communicate, there is no such thing as a NMC. The tenure of the Commission expired in November 2024, however since then, a brand new Commission has not been inaugurated into workplace. Our checks point out that some constituents are but, or had been late to submit their nominations to the NMC Secretariat, therefore the delay,” Mr Dwumfour mentioned.
In accordance with him, the absence of the NMC was a “harmful and undesirable” scenario for the media and the nation at giant.
He, subsequently, urged constituents who had been both but or late to submit their nominations to the NMC Secretariat to take action at once to pave the way in which for the inauguration of a brand new NMC.
Moreover, Mr Dwumfour urged the NMC Secretariat to go forward with the inauguration of the nominations it had obtained to date to be able to allow them to begin work whereas it waited for others to hitch later.
Once more, Mr Dwumfour mentioned that the GJA had instructed its authorized staff to take instant steps to provoke a judicial evaluation of the legal guidelines below which the Particular Prosecutor operates.
This, he mentioned, follows the choice of the Workplace Particular Prosecutor (OSP) to detain Mr George Asare-Bediako, a journalist, for alleging that the Particular Prosecutor, Mr Kissi Agyebeng, had requested the Akufo-Addo’s authorities to purchase a non-public jet for his official use.
BY BENJAMIN ARCTON-TETTEY
