GIBA – GIBA Condemns the abduction and attack on Journalists of the Multimedia Group Limited

The Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) unequivocally condemns the abduction and assault on four staff members of the Kumasi-based Luv FM of the Multimedia Group Limited (MGL).

On Sunday, October 20, 2024, the team led by the investigative journalists and 2022 Journalist of the Year, Erastus Asare Donkor, together with three of his colleagues were carrying out their duties of gathering information for their report on illegal mining activities at Asumenya near Manso Nkran. These attacks were carried out by armed men claiming to work for
Edelmetallum Resources Limited in the Ashanti Region.

We would like to stress on the very important role the media plays in our country and democracy. As such an attack on the media is an attack on us as citizens of Ghana, and more especially on our democracy. We are governed by laws and should therefore be seen as an orderly state where the rule of law prevails. The situation where citizens feel emboldened to
take the law into their hands and perpetuate illegalities or brutalities on others, should be condemned in no uncertain terms. Irresponsible illegal mining is a threat to our very existence as people and so anybody exposing such wrongs in society should not be considered a target of brutalities, more so a journalist.

We commend the Ghana Police Service for arresting some of the culprits but this is not half the number. We continue to urgently call on the Ghana Police Service to up the ante in fighting crime and arrest the perpetrators of attacks and brutalities on journalists, as well as arrest the perpetrators of crimes against nature and the country.

GIBA will diligently continue to work with all stakeholders to bring to an end these incessant
attacks on the media and press freedom in Ghana.
Signed:
Cecil Sunkwa-Mills
President