PRESS RELEASE
« The West Africa Editors Society (WAES) welcomes the news citing the President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama stating that the Ghana National Fire Service officers involved in the assault of the journalist Samuel Addo of Class Media Group have been interdicted.
Content of a video circulated on social media showed a group of Ghana National Fire Service officers assaulting the journalist at the scene of a fire outbreak at the Kasoa new market in the Central Region on Monday January 5, 2026.
While it is heartwarming to hear that the said officers involved in that act have been interdicted, the information is insufficient and does not meet the standards of transparency as required in a democratic system of governance and accountability.
WAES in the spirit of transparency and for accountability would like to know who these officers are, and how many of them have been interdicted. Especially so, because the PRO of the Ghana National Fire Service had said in one breath that the journalist wasn’t assaulted, only his mobile phone was seized because he was recording an altercation involving fire officers and a civilian without permission, and in another breath had said that the alleged assailants were not members of the Fire Service. It would therefore serve the purposes of transparency and accountability to identify who these interdicted officers are. The public has the right to know who these officers are.
Considering also that the journalist reported that he was assaulted by more than 10 officers, it is only fair to state how many officers have been interdicted.
It is the considered view of the West Africa Editors Society that impunity thrives and grows in darkness, and handling this important matter openly will enhance accountability in governance in Ghana, to further ensure the safety of journalists. »
10th January, 2026
For WAES, Emmanuel K Dogbevi
Interim President
FRANCE
