The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), has condemned an attack on a journalist with the Multimedia Group, Ohemaa Sakyiwaa, by a known activist of the party, Hajia Fati.
The reporter was slapped when she attempted taking a photo of Hajia Fati after she prevented Sammy Crabbe, a suspended Vice Chairman of the party from picking up forms to contest for the party’s chairmanship position at the party’s headquarters.
Hajia Fati had subsequently explained that she thought the reporter was a member of Sammy Crabbe’s camp who had been sent to take pictures for ulterior motives. According to her, the reporter looked like an “onion seller” rather than a journalist.
The NPP in a statement signed by its General Secretary, John Boadu, distanced the party from the act, assuring Ghanaian journalists that, “it respects and cherishes the role of the media as partners in development and does not condone any action intended to suppress press freedom.”
“No journalist should feel intimidated and must continue to discharge his/her duties without fear, “ the statement added
The party said though it had already “begun an internal enquiry into the alleged incident” it will also “cooperate with other agencies investigating same.”
The NPP’s statement comes in the wake of concerns raised by the Media Foundation For West African, MFWA, and the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) over the party’s seeming silence on the development.
The statement from the NPP comes shortly after Citi FM’s Bernard Avle declared that the station would boycott all events of the NPP by the end of this week if the party fails to condemn the attack openly.
Read the full statement below
Press Release
NPP condemns attack on journalist
The NPP has noted with concern an alleged attack on a journalist by one of its supporters, Hajia Fati.
We distance ourselves from the act and condemn it unreservedly.
The party wishes to assure Ghanaian journalists that, it respects and cherishes the role of the media as partners in development and does not condone any action intended to suppress press freedom.
No journalist should feel intimidated and must continue to discharge his/her duties without fear.
Though the New Patriotic Party has already begun an internal enquiry into the alleged incident, we will also cooperate with other agencies investigating same.
…Signed…
John Boadu
General Secretary (Ag)
Source: otecfmghana.com
