PRESS FREEDOM IN GHANA

Ghana is often seen as safe haven for press freedom and are always counted among countries with good liberal values when in comes to media practice. According to Reporters Without Borders, Ghana has dropped from 30th position on global index ranking for press freedom in 2021 to 60th position in 2022. Ghana has an enviable reputation as one of Africa’s most liberal democratic States where a vibrant media thrives on the backdrop of chapter 12 of the 1992 constitution.

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Ever since the 1992 constitution came into effect, media practice in Ghana has gain prominence in the sub-region with Ghana ranking above some of the advance countries when it comes to press freedom. But all this did not happen until the repeal of the obnoxious criminal libel law that criminalizes speech and sedition
The repeal of the criminal libel law led to the sprung of several media houses that critique the government and put it on its toes.

But in recent times, media freedom in as much as it is guaranteed under chapter 12 of the constitution, it has seen fierce challenge from the political class.
"Although the country is considered a regional leader in democratic stability, journalists have experienced growing pressures in recent years. To protect their jobs and their security, they increasingly resort to self-censorship, as the government shows itself intolerant of criticism. In addition, one third of media outlets are owned by politicians or by people tied to the top political parties. The content they produce is largely partisan."
-Reporters Without Borders.

This is the true reality of how the culture of silence that existed pre-democracy has gradually crept back into our daily politicking. Yet the political fanatics as well as the intolerant leaders don't want us to talk about such issues because it makes them unpopular.

The report also captured the safety of journalists in the following words;
"Journalists’ safety has deteriorated sharply in recent years. In 2020, reporters covering the effectiveness of anti-Covid-19 measures were attacked by security forces. And political leaders are again making death threats against investigative journalists. Nearly all cases of law enforcement officers attacking journalists are not pursued."
-Reporters Without Borders.

This and many others captured in the report shows how politicians have hijacked our media space in-terms of daily agenda settings as well as taking control of ownership and granting radio spectrum to their cronies and their financiers.
In Africa, Ghana has nosedive from 3rd position to 10th on the continent. This report is the worse ever recorded in the last 17 years yet the NPP government led by a human rights lawyer and media pluralism advocate wants us to believe otherwise. Any attempt to genuinely critique this government would be welcome with labeling, name-calling ,witch-hunting, surveillance, censorship and many other draconian tactics they always use.

The fear of political victimization, censorship and many more has led to the rise of lapdog and guard-dog journalists who does nothing but wag their tail at the pay masters while the laugh their way into the banks.
Ghana can redeem its image and reputation as the citadel of media freedom when the political class stop harassing pressmen, when they stop given media license to their cronies while journalists also sticks to their ethical standards.