Joy News reporter Latif Iddrisu recently fell victim to a violent attack by a police officer while covering a protest. This incident is not the first time Latif has been targeted for simply doing his job. In 2018, he suffered severe head injuries after being assaulted by police personnel at the CID headquarters. More recently, he was attacked by supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at the premises of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) president, Albert Dwumfuor, has called upon President John Mahama to compensate Latif for the injuries he sustained while on duty. Latif is currently undergoing treatment and therapy in California, USA, due to the trauma he experienced from these assaults. Despite his efforts to return to reporting, he continues to struggle with pain and trauma.
During a recent meeting with Latif, the GJA resolved to push for compensation for the journalist. Dwumfuor emphasized the need to compensate journalists who have been injured in the line of duty, citing Latif’s case as a prime example. He also mentioned other journalists, such as JoyNews’ Erastus Asare Donkor and Ohemeng Tawiah, who deserve compensation for the attacks they have faced.
President Mahama commended the GJA for their efforts and assured them of his commitment to media independence and journalist safety. He pledged to revive the Media Development Fund and work towards restoring Ghana’s reputation as a model of press freedom. Mahama expressed concern about Ghana’s decline in the World Press Freedom Index and emphasized the need for concrete interventions to reverse this trend.
In conclusion, it is essential to protect journalists and ensure their safety while they are on duty. Stronger legislation is needed to deter attacks on the media, and compensating journalists who have been injured in the line of duty is a crucial step towards achieving this goal. President Mahama’s commitment to media independence and press freedom is a positive step towards safeguarding the rights of journalists in Ghana.
