The government has responded to former President Mahama’s statement on Ghana’s press freedom ranking.
Information Minister Oppong Nkrumah said it cannot be true that Ghana had the highest-ranking under the former President Mahama
According to him, the government cannot be blamed for the closure of radio stations who are NCA’s defaulters.
Former President John Mahama said Ghana became the country with the highest level of press freedom in Africa under his tenure.
Mahama in a World Freedom Day message said the press freedom is a huge contributing factor to our democracy.
He said even though the press freedom is curtailed under the Akufo-Addo government it is still important that we speak up against that act.
“Freedom of the press is not a given; we should always remember that, and especially now, when the COVID-19 pandemic tempts some governments around the world to want to curtail the liberties of citizens. Just as the press performs a civic duty to all of us, we also have a civic duty to always defend and be ready to fight for freedom of the press”.
“During my tenure as President, we became the country with the highest level of press freedom in Africa, at that time we were ranked number one out of 54 countries in Africa, we were was also 23rd in the globla ranking out of 180 countries. Three and half years later we have slumed seven places on the global ranking and lost the number spot in Africa to Namibia and Cape Verde and this should worry us as Ghanaians”.
He also called on Ghanaians to speak against what he describes as the dictatorial closure of radio stations by the Akufo-Addo government.
“Let us all protect the freedom of the press, let us condemn the killing of Ahmed Suale, as well as the harassment of Manasseh Azure and Edward Adeti. Let us rise up and speak against the dictatorial withdrawal of radio frequencies and closure of stations by the Akufo-Addo gov’t”.
Ghana is currently ranked 7th in Africa and 30th in the global ranking of countries with highest press freedom.
