On August 11, two journalists from The Fourth Estate were forced to abruptly end a scheduled interview with Dr. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, the acting Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS). The journalists were investigating a significant health sector scandal and were set to discuss critical issues with Dr. Kaba at the GHS headquarters.
However, upon their arrival, Dr. Kaba proposed relocating the interview to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge Hospital).
At the new location, Dr. Kaba Akoriyea instructed a staff member to contact National Security. Shortly after, Richard Jakpa, Director of Special Operations at the National Security Secretariat, called the journalists and questioned their presence and purpose. When the journalists declined to disclose details, citing journalistic confidentiality, Jakpa ordered them to leave immediately.
Fearing for their safety, the journalists complied and terminated the interview. They later filed a formal complaint at the Ministries Police Station in Accra.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) condemned this interference, highlighting it as a violation of Article 162(4) of the 1992 Constitution, which protects journalists’ professional independence. Such actions compromise media freedom and the public’s right to information.
Sulemana Braimah, MFWA’s Executive Director, criticized National Security for its increasing repression of press freedom, questioning why national security officials are involved in routine journalistic activities. Recent similar incidents include National Security operatives manhandling journalists from the Multimedia Group and the prolonged interrogation of Prosper Agbenyegah, Editor of Current Issues newspaper, over a published story related to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG). This interrogation was also conducted by Richard Jakpa.
MFWA urges President John Dramani Mahama to take swift action to prevent these troubling abuses by his national security officials, which threaten press freedom and could damage the government’s credibility.
Source: MFWA