Ghana drops 30 places in latest Press Freedom Index
Ghana has dropped 30 places in the latest press freedom index released by Reporters Without Borders that monitors 180 countries.
It comes after concerns from the Media Foundation for West Africa(MFWA) alleged the Ghanaian media is under siege.
The report released to commemorate international Press Freedom Day scored Ghana 67.43, placing Ghana 60th on the index, a sharp decline from its 30th place last year.
The latest ranking is the lowest the country has ever seen in the past 17 years since it placed 66th in 2005.
Ghana’s media under siege
Sulemana Braimah, the executive director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has said the Ghanaian media is under siege following the recent arrest of some personalities including media practitioners for false publication.
At least three individuals including the executive director of ASEPA Mensah Thompson and governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) Bono regional chairman Kwame Baffoe (popularly known as Abronye DC), are currently being tried in court over statements they made in the media that the police say amount to false publications.
Speaking to Kofi Abotsi on Townhall Talk on Asaase Radio 99.5FM on Friday (18 February), Braimah said: “So, if a journalist feels that, ‘what is happening makes me unsafe and I am likely to be picked or to be arrested or to be beaten or bullied,’ then it leads to self-censorship and of course even if the person does not self-censor, he may or she may put out what he may put out there with fear.”
