Action against National Security shouldn’t be limited to assaults on only Caleb Kudah – Ashigbey

Former Managing Director of the Daily Graphic, Mr Ken Ashigbey has said actions taken against assaults on journalists in Ghana should not be reduced to the ordeal of the two journalists with Citi FM, Caleb Kudah and Zoe Abu Baidoo.

He said several other journalists are being attacked by state security officers and these individuals must also get justice in the way and manner the two journalists with Citi FM had.

Mr Ashigbey recounted on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday May 22 that when he was at the Daily Graphic, one of his reporters was attacked in Ho in the line of his duty and has since lost his hearing.

He also mentioned the assault on a journalist with the Multimedia Group and a few others and demanded immediate actions to be taken.

“It is important that we don’t make this only about Caleb and Zoe,” the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications told host Abena Tabi, while welcoming the move by the National Security Minister Albert Kan Dapaah on the attacks on Caleb and Zoe.

He added “It is about ensuring that all the wrongs that have been done not just by national security but also by other security forces. What about the journalist with Multimedia who was beaten at the Police headquarters that has not been resolved? I remember when I was at Graphic one of my reporters was beaten in Ho. Till date he has lost his hearing. This is also not only about journalists, other civilians who have also been assaulted. This should be the point of reflection where nobody again will be maltreated.”

The Ministry of National Security has completed its investigations into the recent alleged assault on Citi FM journalist Caleb Kudah.

According to Kan Dapaah, who issued a statement dated Thursday, May 20, 2021, the conduct of Lieutenant Colonel Frank Agyeman and some police officers on the said day was “inappropriate and contravened the Ministry’s standard operating procedures”

The Committee also established that the journalists’ unauthorised entry into the premises of the Ministry of National Security was unlawful.”

Among the action taken by the Ministry are the reversal of the secondment of Lt Col. Agyeman as Director of Operations and the withdrawal of three police officers as operatives.

Lt. Col. Agyeman is to report to the Chief of Defense Staff for further investigation and appropriate action while the police officers are to report to the Ghana Police Service for investigations and disciplinary action.

“The Ministry of National Security wishes to assure the general public and particularly all media practitioners that the Ministry will expeditiously investigate any complaints against any personnel of its agencies.

“The tenets of National Security in Ghana should be based on a Whole-of-Government and a Whole-of-Society approach and cooperation from all well-meaning Ghanaians,” Mr Kan Dapaah stated.