The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), in consultation with relevant stakeholders, has withdrawn the media blackout sanction imposed on the Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya East Constituency, Mavis Hawa Koomson.

In a statement released by the GJA, the Minister for Fisheries and Acquaculture honored her promise made on 15th February 2024 to meet the leadership of the Association so that the issue at hand could be discussed thoroughly.

“She was accompanied by the Minister-designate for Information, Fatimatu Abubakar, for the meeting which was attended by the President of the Private Newspapers and Online News Publishers Associations of Ghana (PRINPAG), Edwin Arthur, the Executive Secretary of the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), Gloria Hiadzi, and the Programme Manager for Freedom of Expression at the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Muheeb Saed.”
Albert Kwabena Dwumfour

Also present at the meeting were the Dean of the Parliamentary Press Corps, Simon Agianab; the President of the New Media Association, Eugene Nkansah; the Executive Secretary of PRINPAG, Jeorge Wilson Kingson; and Gabriel Asante Bosompem, a representative of the GJA on the National Media Commission (NMC).

The statement emphasized the Minster’s commitment to ensure that the victim, David Kobena of Cape FM, who was brutally assaulted at the screening of NPP parliamentary candidates in the Central Region, gets the justice he deserves. It also indicated that Ms. Abubakar, Information Minister-designate, pledged the support of her outfit in ensuring that the matter is properly settled.

The GJA President, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, commended Mavis Hawa Koomson for “taking such positive steps to help find a solution to the problem and expressed the hope that she would live by her pledge.”

He urged all media houses and stakeholders to comply with the latest directive and offer any assistance the Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister will need in the discharge of her duties.

GJA Maintains Media Blackout On Farouk Aliu Mahama

However, the Ghana Journalists Association and its partners maintained their ban on the Member of Parliament for Yendi Constituency for abetting an assault on a journalist during the NPP parliamentary primaries.

According to the GJA, all efforts to settle the issue with the Member of Parliament have been futile, which is why they had to resort to a ban. He added that until justice is served for the victim, the position of the Association will not change.

The MP for Yendi is accused of assaulting Mohammed Aminu M. Alabira, Nothern Regional Correspondent for Citi FM/TV in the heat of the New Patriotic Party’s parliamentary primaries on 27th January 2024.

Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament for the Yendi Constituency is yet to make a public statement on the allegations leveled against him by the GJA.

In the Yendi Constituency, the Electoral Commission had declared as null and void a declaration by the third Vice Chairman of the New Patriotic Party that incumbent MP, Farouk Aliu Mahama was the winner of the parliamentary primaries.

The EC contended that it had not finished counting when an altercation ensued among supporters of the two candidates.

“Seven hundred and eighty-five (785) voters voted, out of the seven hundred and ninety-four registered voters. The counting of ballots for the incumbent, Hon. Farouk Aliu Mahama, was disrupted when the Presiding Officer counted two hundred and ninety-six (296) votes in his favor. Unfortunately, the destruction of four hundred and eighty-nine (489) ballots which remained to be counted, made it impossible for the Presiding Officer to complete the coalition and declare the results. The commission therefore dissociates itself from the declaration.”
Electoral Commission

NPP supporters in the Yendi Constituency have since called on the national executives of the party to nullify the results of that election primarily because they thought the election was illegal and undemocratic.