The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) reiterates its full support for the call by the Media Stakeholders’ Coalition in Ghana for Legislator, Farouk Aliu Mahama, to be blacklisted by the media.
The call for all media orgainsations not to provide coverage to the Member of Parliament for Yendi, in the Northern Region of Ghana, was made by the coalition of four institutions at a press conference in Accra on February 6, 2024. The coalition comprises the Ghana Journalists’ association (GJA), Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) and the Private Newspapers and Online News Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG).
The media stakeholders group made the decision following the assault of Mohammed Aminu Alabira, Northern Region correspondent of Accra-based Citi, allegedly, by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP and some associates of his on January 27.
Albert Dwumfour, President of The Ghana Journalist Association, (GJA) and spokesperson for the quartet of institutions, outlined the demands of the coalition as follows:
- That all media houses must BLACKLIST and offer Farouk Aliu Mahama no media coverage, interview, etc. as the MP for Yendi and any other state position he holds until further notice. We want you to know that apart from him been insensitive to the work of journalists (as demonstrated during the Parliamentary Primaries), there are vigilantes around him who may harm you. So, just steer clear of him and his thugs.
- The NPP leadership at the National and Regional levels must seek justice for our colleague, Mohammed Amin Alabira by sanctioning the MP and his hoodlums appropriately;
- The Ghana Police Service should speed up with investigations into the case and arraign the perpetrators before court to face the full rigours of the law for their distasteful conduct. This time the policemen and women are witnesses to the incident as it happened.
- We are giving the NPP, Regional and National, and the Ghana Police Service ten (10) days ultimatum each to hear from them. They should arrest the perpetrators. If they fail, we shall advise ourselves.
As a member of the Coalition, the MFWA renews its support for the call on all media organisations and outlets to boycott the activities of the Member of Parliament for Yendi, in his current capacity as MP and any future capacity, until further notice.
“Aminu Alabira, the Northern regional correspondent for Citi News, was only carrying out his duty as a journalist when he covered the chaos that disrupted the parliamentary primary of Mr. Aliu Mahama’s party, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), in Yendi on January 27, 2024. The alleged attack on him by the MP and his team, cannot be justified in anyway,” said Muheeb Saeed, Head of Freedom of Expression at the MFWA.
The GJA earlier imposed a similar news blackout on the Minister for Fisheries and MP for Awutu Senya East. This is still in force and should be abided by the media.
Like Farouk Aliu Mahama, alleged aides and supporters of Ms Koomson reportedly unleashed violence on David Kobbena, a journalist with Cape FM, on January 4, 2024.
Find the full statement here.