President of Ghana Journalists Association has descended heavily on a two-time presidential hopeful, Hassan Ayariga, for his manhandling of a journalist who had gone to his house upon his invitation to cover a story.
The GJA President described Hassan Ayariga as a 'footnote' in the country's electoral history and a shameless person with no 'iota of civility.'
Affail Monney solidarised with the victim of the assault indicating the readiness of the GJA to push for justice for him as his ordeal is considered a disregard for the profession and rule of law.
The victim Jerry Azanduna is a Ghana News Agency reporter based in the Upper East Region, where the incident occurred.
He was allegedly brutalised almost to the point of death for reporting an alleged assault on Hassan Ayariga barely a week ago by a Batik Tie and Dye dealer who was enraged with the Former Presidential hopeful for defecting from the Peoples National Convention to form his own party.
Media reports have it that Jerry Azanduna was picked up by some men allegedly sent by Hassan Ayariga to attend a press conference to clarify the alleged assault that happened about a week ago but was instead taken to the residence of the APC Founder who ordered his beatings in the presence of security personnel.
The timely intervention of some security personnel who got wind of the incident led to his rescue from the inhumane treatment meted out to him by alleged thugs of Hassan Ayariga.
"Let me extend some few words of caution to someone who has been consigned to the comical footnote of our electoral history, someone who aspires to occupy the most consequential position in our land but who without any sense of shame, any iota of civility and without any twinge of conscience organise thugs, some ferocious beats to pounce on a journalist he has called to occupy an assignment in his own home. Jerry Azanduna had a brush with death because of Hassan Ayariga's thuggery. Our concern is predicated on a principle that once you touch one journalist you touch all of us" the GJA President bashed.
Urging immediate action from the security agencies, without favouritism or bias, Affail Money asserted, "As we speak all of us are bleeding profusely from that attack and one of the way to staunch the blood flow is for the law to take its course. No one is above the law and certainly, Hassan Ayariga is not above the law so we expect the law to deal with him surgically"
Launch of 23rd GJA Awards
Affail Monney expressed this sentiment at the launch of the 23rd Ghana Journalists Association Awards scheduled to be held at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City in Accra on 27th October at 7 pm.
The event has received sponsorship from several corporate bodies and stakeholders including Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources who donated GHC50, 000. Kempinski Hotel has given out a 1, 200 seating capacity room for free and other services to the tune of $40, 000, Ashfoam also pledged a package worth GHC20, 000 for some awardees and GHC30, 000 to the organisers and Vokacom have also donated 20, 000 for the organisation of this year's Awards ceremony.
The event is on the theme, "The state of investigative journalism; Boundaries of privacy and borders of public interest" and it is expected to be graced by President of the Republic H. E. Akufo-Addo with the Chairman of the occasion being Professor Henritta Mensah Bonsu.
