As President John Dramani Mahama marked his 100th day in office on April 17, 2025, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has issued a strong appeal to his government to uphold press freedom, pursue justice for past abuses, and reform laws that stifle journalistic work.
In a letter dated the same day, the CPJ called on the President to prioritise media rights and accountability as key pillars of his leadership.
“We urge your government to conduct swift and conclusive investigations into cases of attacks against the press, to reform laws that criminalise journalism, and to ensure journalists’ devices are not seized or searched in connection with their work,” the letter stated.
The organisation expressed concern over what it described as a long-standing climate of impunity for crimes against journalists in Ghana.
It cited the murder of investigative journalist Ahmed Hussein-Suale Divela in 2019 as a case that remains unresolved, emblematic of broader failures to protect media professionals.
“Ghana’s laws have been used to criminalise the press,” the letter said, calling on President Mahama to heed “local press freedom advocates” who have issued repeated calls for legal reform.
The CPJ stressed that while Ghana has historically been viewed as one of Africa’s more open media environments, recent years have seen worrying trends of journalist intimidation, legal harassment, and physical threats, often without any legal consequences for perpetrators.
The group urged President Mahama to demonstrate bold leadership by reversing these trends, restoring confidence in Ghana’s commitment to democratic values, and ensuring the safety and freedom of the country’s journalists moving forward.
