President John Dramani Mahama has reiterated his strong commitment to press freedom, emphasising that he will never tolerate any form of violence or harassment against journalists.

Speaking at the Presidential Media Encounter at the Jubilee House on Wednesday, President Mahama condemned the increasing instances of media practitioners being harassed, particularly by security personnel at public events.
“I’ve condemned assaults on journalists in any form. Journalists are doing their job, and their job is to bring news to the doorsteps of our people and to inform, educate and entertain them,” he said.

He expressed concern over the growing trend of security officers targeting journalists, describing it as a deeply troubling development.

The President stressed that this behavior must be addressed through education, sanctions, and improved collaboration between the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and security agencies.
“It’s a matter of sanctioning people who assault journalists. I’ve been speaking with the President of the GJA, and we’re going to bring them together with the security agencies so they can carry out awareness among their personnel. If you see a journalist at an event, he is also doing a job, just like the security officer is doing his job. You don’t have the right to assault or manhandle them,” he said.

President Mahama also assured that his government would continue to foster a safe and supportive environment for journalists, ensuring they can carry out their work without fear or intimidation.
“As a lifetime member of the GJA, there’s no way I’ll condone the assault of journalists in any form,” he said.