Akwatia by-election: Treat journalists with respect – IGP to Police officers

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has urged police officers to treat journalists assigned to cover the Akwatia by-election with moderation and respect.

This follows an assault on a journalist by a police officer during the Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun in July this year.

Speaking during a meeting between the leadership of the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), in Accra on Wednesday, August 20, the IGP emphasised the important role the media plays in elections and national development.

“All we are telling police personnel countrywide is that the brothers and sisters who hold the camera and the phones to take whatever they want during the election time—I think there is a level to which they can go, but you have to be moderate in handling them,” he said.

He explained that journalists serve as a vital link between the events on the ground and the general public, who rely on media coverage to stay informed.

“Because without them, the rest of the people who are at home watching—they cannot see what is going on… Some of us, we have reached this stage, and without the media, nobody would have heard of our name,” he added.

The IGP also assured media personnel of their safety during the election period, stressing that the police will ensure their protection.

“We will make sure that we will protect you,” he stated.