Ghana Reaffirms Commitment to Press Freedom as MFWA Launches Journalist Safety Policy

Ghana’s Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations,  Samuel Nartey George, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting press freedom and holding individuals accountable for attacks against journalists, regardless of their position or status.

He made the remarks while delivering the keynote address at a public forum organised by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) under the theme “Ending Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists in Ghana: Strengthening Safety, Accountability and Press Freedom”.

The event coincided with the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists and featured the launch of the Model Safety of Journalists Policy. The policy is designed to provide media organisations with a framework for protecting journalists against physical, digital, legal and psychological threats.

George described a free and independent press as essential to a functioning democracy, while highlighting Ghana’s improvement in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index. The country ranked 39th out of 180 countries, up from 52nd in 2025, placing fourth in Africa.

He attributed the improvement to what he described as the government’s commitment to openness, engagement and accountability under President John Dramani Mahama’s administration.

However, the minister acknowledged that challenges remain, citing reported cases of assaults against media professionals. He stressed that impunity could encourage further attacks and called for prompt reporting, impartial investigations, regular updates to victims and prosecution where warranted.

“No uniform, no office, no party card and no private influence should place anyone above the law,” George said, reaffirming that the government would not tolerate violence against journalists carrying out their professional duties.

Opening the forum, MFWA Executive Director Sulemana Braimah also raised concerns about the safety of media workers across West Africa. He pointed to regional data indicating an increase in violations against journalists and stressed that addressing impunity is necessary to protect the public’s right to information.