Former President John Mahama suggests Ghana dropping 7 areas on the world rating when it arrives to press freedom should really not only be a source of get worried to journalists and media entrepreneurs but to citizens as well.
This, he explained is due to the fact when the flexibility of the press is curtailed, democracy suffers and all other human legal rights that anchor a person’s dignity as a human currently being are eroded.
In his information to Ghanaians to mark this year’s Environment Push Freedom Day, the NDC flagbearer claimed push flexibility is not a specified and must, as a result, be appreciated specifically as the “Covid-19 pandemic tempts some governments all-around the planet to want to curtail the liberties of citizens.”
He urged Ghanaians to mark the working day by talking up versus what he described as the “dictatorial withdrawal of radio frequencies and closure of radio stations by the Akufo-Addo authorities.”
In accordance to Mr Mahama, the improvement has influenced the fall in the country’s push independence worldwide rating.
He said folks must also “condemn the killing of journalists like Ahmed Suale, as very well as the harassment of Manasseh Azure and Edward Adeti.”
“According to Reporters Without having Borders, during my Presidency, Ghana grew to become the region with the greatest levels of press liberty in Africa. At the time, we were ranked quantity a single out of 54 nations in Africa. We put 23rd on the international ranking between 180 international locations.
“Three and fifty percent several years afterwards, we have slumped 7 spots on the world wide ranking and lost the quantity a single place in Africa to Namibia and Cape Verde. We have regrettably lost this priceless position that manufactured all of us quite proud,” he claimed.
Mr Mahama who is in search of re-election immediately after one particular expression in office as president also made use of the occasion to rejoice media staff for their undying spirit and perseverance to maintain people today informed all over the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We owe it to our good and hardworking journalists – but, first and foremost, we owe it to ourselves.
“I celebrate the guys and ladies of the push in Ghana and throughout the world. The threat of COVID-19 has not daunted your undying spirits. The pandemic has not prevented you from likely at terrific, and from time to time risky lengths to bring us the tales.
“You have been at the frontline of the struggle versus the disease. We are grateful to our pressmen and girls,” he said.
