GJA to Sue Hajia Fati

The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) is considering a suit against Hajia Fati, a New Patriotic Party (NPP) supporter, for allegedly assaulting a reporter of Accra-based Adom FM.

The reporter, Ohemaa Sekyiwaa, was allegedly slapped by Hajia Fati as she was trying to get photos of her at the NPP headquarters on Friday, 4 May 2018.

According to Ohemaa Sekyiwaa, Hajia Fati was infuriated at the party’s suspended 2nd Vice Chair, Sammy Crabbe, for coming to the party’s headquarters to pick nomination forms to contest in the upcoming elections. In her bid to get an interview, the embittered Hajia Fati smashed the reporter’s phone and punched her mouth, accusing her of working for Mr Crabbe.

The GJA has condemned the incident.

“What is more worrying is that some of her attacks on journalists including Adom FM reporter’s case were launched at the NPP headquarters, giving the impression, even if erroneously, that the ruling party endorses her violence on us. The GJA is considering various options including legal action to end such impunity against journalists, which we consider to be a violent attack on press freedom,” GJA President Roland Affail Monney said at a press conference in Accra on Monday, 7 May 2018.

The GJA is also calling on the leadership of the NPP to sanction Hajia Fati over the incident.

This is not the first time a staff of Multimedia Group Limited (MGL) has been assaulted in line of duty.

Latif Iddrisu, another reporter with MGL was assaulted by police a few months ago.

The GJA says it will not tolerate anymore attacks on journalists and will take measures to ensure that journalists are protected.

Source: ClassFMonline