The Alliance for Women in Media Africa (AWMA) has condemned attack on a reporter of the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), Della Russel Ocloo by the police and some members of the Glorious Way Church.
The reporter went to the church on Sunday August 4, 2019 following a protest march by a group of women on the back of some comments made by leader of the church, Prophet Badu Kobi.
Ms. Ocloo was in the church to get Prophet Badu Kobi’s reaction to the protest march as well as other issues regarding his comments about how women of certain tribes in Ghana behave in marriages.
The Graphic reporter was manhandled by some members of the church when she was seen videoing their service.
Some two policemen who later arrived at the scene took her to the Sakumono police station. They also manhandled her, took her phone while on their way to the station.
Following these developments, the Alliance for Women in Media Africa has condemned both the actions of the church members and the police, and is calling for full scale investigation into the matter.
“AWMA is calling for investigation, accountability and consequences from these alleged actions,” a statement issued by on Wednesday the group said.
“AWMA demands a full and thorough investigation into the police’s response. AWMA calls on the IGP to initiate this investigation and call his officers to account. AWMA calls on the nation’s media houses to secure their employees with appropriate measures to enable them to carry out their work as media practitioners without fear of attack.”
The women’s group noted in the press statement that the behavior of the police do not create an enabling environment for female journalists to work.
“AWMA denounces this reprehensible conduct. It typifies the increasingly dangerous environment within which journalists, especially women, practice their profession. This is another example of rampant violations against the lawful conduct of media practitioners.”
Source: 3news.com|Ghana