President John Dramani Mahama has strongly condemned the assault on JoyNews journalist Carlos Calony by armed military personnel during a demolition exercise at Spintex in Accra on Wednesday, July 30.
Calony, along with his cameraman and an eyewitness, was reportedly attacked while covering the operation. Their equipment was seized, and the journalist was forcibly taken to “Blue Gate,” a National Security facility, where he was interrogated after his phones were confiscated. He was later released following intervention by the Minister for the Interior.
Government officials have since labelled the soldiers’ actions as unacceptable.
Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony for newly appointed deputy ministers on Thursday, July 31, President Mahama expressed deep concern over the incident and reaffirmed his administration’s unwavering commitment to press freedom.
“Let me unequivocally condemn the recent assault on journalists by security personnel. Such conduct is intolerable and will not be condoned under my administration,” he stated.
The President disclosed that he had directed a full investigation into the incident and insisted that any officers found culpable would be sanctioned.
“As a proud card-bearing member of the GJA, I will not preside over a government that intimidates or abuses journalists for doing their lawful work,” Mahama declared.
He further announced plans to convene a meeting with heads of security agencies and leadership of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) to strengthen cooperation and improve relations between security forces and the media.
“We must change the narrative. I intend to bring the security leadership and GJA together to develop a framework that promotes mutual respect and understanding. Journalists are not enemies; they are partners in national development,” he added.
Meanwhile, the GJA has condemned the attack and issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Ghana Police Service to act. The association warned that failure to respond appropriately would result in a nationwide media blackout on police-related coverage.
