We can see some dark clouds surrounding initiative by Police to station liaison officers at media houses – GJA

The President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Albert Dwumfuor, has cast doubt on the real intention behind the decision by the Ghana Police Service to station liaison officers at various media houses during the December 7 elections.

According to him, the decision raises security and safety concerns for the media houses and their personnel.

The Police administration earlier held a meeting with selected editors at which the initiative to provide liaison officers was announced. The meeting, which was held at the Ghana Police Headquarters, was used to discuss matters relating to the December 7 elections.

The GJA President said, “One of the key issues is the promise made by the Police Administration to provide police media liaison officers at media houses for protection. While appreciating the initiative by the Police Administration to ensure the safety and security of media practitioners in the electioneering, there are some pertinent concerns regarding the initiative by the Police. First, is it a strategy to interfere with the work of the media? Is it a ploy to leak information from media houses? Which media houses have the Police enlisted to detail its media liaison officers to? We can see some dark clouds surrounding this initiative by the Police and answers to these questions will clear the sky.”

Mr Dwumfuor expressed dissatisfaction with the Police administration’s failure to invite the leadership of the GJA.

“Although members of the Media Coalition are the professional umbrella bodies of the media industry in Ghana who represent the interests and concerns of media practitioners and media houses, we were surprisingly not invited to the said meeting,” he stated at a press conference on November 28.

He noted that the decision to leave the GJA executive out of that meeting was intentional.

“We have cause to believe that was deliberate rather than inadvertence, as the Police try to avoid our role, eagle eye and agility to protect and promote the interest of the media industry,” Mr Dwumfuor alleged.