The Presidency has directed the Minister for Defence and the National Security Coordinator to investigate the attempted arrest of a JoyNews reporter, Carlos Calony, and the assault of an eyewitness by a soldier at a demolition site.

According to the Presidency, the “appropriate disciplinary and punitive measures must be applied without delay to ensure accountability and prevent future occurrences.”

The presidency noted that such actions are utterly unacceptable to the John Mahama administration and have no place in the country's democratic society.

In a statement dated July 30, Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu noted that he has been directed by President John Dramani Mahama “to unequivocally reaffirm his unwavering commitment to the freedom and safety of journalists.”

“A free and unfettered press is a cornerstone of our democracy, essential for accountability, transparency, and informed public discourse. Government also reiterates our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all Ghanaian citizens, whose rights must always be protected,” the statement added.

The unfortunate incident that has been widely condemned took place on the Spintex road in Accra. The reporter went to the scene to investigate after reports that a warehouse owned by renowned Ghanaian businessman and Executive Chairman of the McDan Group, Daniel McKorley, was demolished on Monday night by national security operatives.

Upon arrival at the site, Carlos engaged an eyewitness but got interrupted by a man in a military outfit. Carlos revealed he was a journalist who had come to obtain information about the incident. Out of the blue, the security launched an attack on the civilian who served as an eyewitness.

The media personnel were then instructed by the other security officers present to stop videotaping the incident, to which they complied.

Recounting the unfortunate incident, Carlos revealed that he was detained by some national security operatives for close to an hour. He shared a brief narration of events that occurred before he was accosted by the security personnel.

“There was no confrontation at all. We were actually filming when they came in and assaulted me….We got there before the military arrived and I was speaking to an eyewitness who had witnessed the demolition. From nowhere, we heard sirens coming, and the military just stormed the place and interrupted me during the interview. I told them we were journalists just telling the story. Beyond that, I tried to speak to the head of the team to let him understand that we were on the grounds to report,” he said.

He further revealed that he was physically assaulted by one of the security personnel.

“Around that time, we were to go on air, so I was speaking to my producer. And in the process of talking to my producer, another military man from behind said it seemed I was filming and so he punched me from behind, two direct blows to my neck. At that point, I lost control and almost fell down.”

Following this, he was arrested and taken to the National Security Head Office.

“After all these things happened, they now said I would be arrested, and they pushed me into the vehicle together with the Group CEO of McDan and three others to the National Security Head Office.”

“They kept us there for about 45 minutes. They came in, monitored the room, and asked me questions. I told them I was from JoyNews. At this point, they had taken our phones and went through them. They asked me to write a statement, and I told them I had to hear from my bosses before we take it from there,” he said.

“Briefly, that was what happened. There was no confrontation at all. We were actually filming when they came in and assaulted me.”

In reaction to the incident, the Kokomlemle-based media house has condemned this act in the strongest terms.

“This is not only an attack on two of our journalists but also a blatant affront to media freedom, the right to information, and the constitutional guarantee of free expression in Ghana. Journalists must be allowed to work freely and safely. We will not relent in our duty to inform the Ghanaian people,” the media house noted.

JoyNews has demanded an immediate and transparent investigation by state authorities; sanctions against the operatives involved.

In recent years, media practitioners have been victims of assault by civilians and security personnel.

Despite the condemnation by several stakeholders, such as the government and the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), the challenge continues to persist.

Lives of journalists have been lost. Others have sustained permanent injuries as a result.

This year alone, JoyNews has reported a number of assaults against its reporters.

During the Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun election, a female JoyNews journalist was slapped by an unknown individual at the Odorkor Methodist polling station.

In May, Latif Iddrisu, a JoyNews reporter who was on duty covering a protest sparked by the arrest of the New Patriotic Party (NPP)'s Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako—popularly known as Chairman Wontumi—that drew participation from party loyalists and some Members of Parliament, outside the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) in Accra was struck at the back of his head by a male supporter.

"I have been assaulted by these individuals on live television," the visibly frustrated journalist stated during his broadcast.

In a statement issued on Sunday, June 8, the police announced that 55-year-old Theophilus Thompson was arrested on Saturday, June 7, at about 5:00 p.m. in Jamestown.

He has been remanded in custody after being denied bail.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) member received support from party leadership, including the National Organiser, Henry Nana Boakye (Nana B), and National Youth Organiser, Salam Mustapha, in court.

Thompson has pleaded not guilty to the charges of assault and threat of death.

Amid the surging attacks against journalists, the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has urged the Ghana Police Service to take swift action in arresting and prosecuting individuals who attack media practitioners.

Mr Albert Kwabena Dwumfour emphasized the need to defend media freedom and address the alarming rate of attacks on journalists.

He noted that these attacks have been a major drawback to Ghana's World Press Freedom Index in recent years, but the GJA is poised to reset this narrative.

The GJA has called on all stakeholders, including the Executive, Legislature, Judiciary, and civil society organizations, to help address the issue of attacks on media practitioners.