PRESS RELEASE
« The journalist, Samuel Addo of Class Media Group told WAES that a fire started at the Kasoa new market yesterday Sunday January 4, 2026, and he was there throughout the night to cover the incident. He said he returned to the scene this morning for a follow-up report for the morning show at the radio station he was assigned to, and while there, he saw some fire officers assaulting a civilian and he took out his phone to film the incident, but some fire officers, about 10 of them, rushed on him, seized his phone and assaulted him, even though he had identified himself to them as a journalist.
According to Addo, he has lodged a complaint with the police and has been issued with a medical form to attend hospital.
WAES has reached out to the Ghana National Fire Service Public Relations Officer, Mr Desmond Ackah on the WhatsApp messaging App for his comments, but he has not yet responded.
However, in a Starr FM report, Mr Ackah is quoted as saying: “Our men did not assault the journalist, they seized his phone because he was recording an altercation at the fire scene without permission.”
If the statement attributed to Mr Ackah is true, then it is unfortunate, because journalists do not need permission to film or record incidents in public.
The attacks on journalists in Ghana by some officers of the security services have continued, despite efforts to sensitise security officers about the duty of journalists and their responsibility to protect them while they work. These attacks are a blot on the country’s free press environment and WAES is calling on the Ghana Police and National Fire Service to investigate the matter.
No democratic society should condone attacks on journalists, because doing so stifles journalism, kills transparency, and keeps everyone in the dark, and democracy eventually dies in darkness.
“Members of the security services in Ghana ought to know by now that journalism is important for any progressive society, including Ghana, and stop attacking journalists who are only doing their jobs,” says Mr Emmanuel K Dogbevi, the Interim President of WAES, who is also the Vice-President of The African Editors Forum (TAEF).
“Reports of the security services officers targeting journalists doing their constitutional duties do not reflect well on the image of the services and that must stop,” he added. »
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Note to Editors:
The West Africa Editors Society is a regional body representing editors in West Africa. It is an affiliate of The African Editors Forum (TAEF), which is the continental group of editors in Africa.
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