In a recent incident, a former Northern Regional Deputy Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress(NDC), Iddrisu Hardi Pagazaa, and another person allegedly attacked a radio presenter named Abubakari Sadiq in the studios of Dagbon FM in Tamale, Northern region.
The reason behind the attack was that the presenter had spoken negatively about the former officer on live radio. The attackers verbally assaulted and forcibly pulled the presenter out of the studio, as seen in a viral video circulating on social media. This unfortunate incident happened on World Press Freedom Day, May 3, 2023.
Many people are now urging the Ghana Police Service to take immediate action and arrest the former officer and his accomplice to serve as a deterrent to others who take the law into their own hands. However, the former officer has shown no remorse for his actions and has even threatened to do worse things to the presenter if he continues to speak ill of him on radio.
It is essential to understand that freedom of the press is a fundamental human right and is crucial for any democratic society to function effectively. It is unacceptable for anyone to use violence or intimidation to silence journalists or media personalities. The authorities must ensure that the perpetrators of such attacks are brought to justice and that journalists are protected from such violence and intimidation.