, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, has stated that no personnel have the authority to demand permission fo){kind=link}
The President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, has stated that no personnel have the authority to demand permission for lawful journalistic work at a public emergency scene.
He made the statement while addressing a press conference to condemn the alleged assault of a Class Media journalist by personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS).
The incident occurred on Monday, January 5, 2026, when Class FM journalist Samuel Addo was covering a fire outbreak. A video circulating on social media shows the journalist being physically confronted, shouted at, and allegedly struck with a hard hat by some fire service officers who tried to stop him from filming the scene.
Mr. Dwumfour described the attack as brutal, unlawful, and unacceptable, stating that it constituted a direct assault on media freedom and the public’s right to information. He rejected claims by the GNFS that the officers only seized the journalist’s phone, describing the explanation as misleading and contradictory.
The GJA is demanding the arrest, investigation, and prosecution of all officers involved and has called on the Inspector General of Police to act swiftly, noting that the journalist has formally reported the case.
The Association also called on the leadership of the Ghana National Fire Service to publicly condemn the attack, identify the officers involved, and apply severe internal sanctions. The GJA further demanded a public apology to the journalist, Class Media Group, and the media fraternity for the trauma and professional obstruction caused.
Ghana|Atinkaonline.com