Safety of Journalists non-negotiable – GJA demands apology from Tenkorang-Twum

The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) says journalists’ safety is non-negotiable and has demanded a public apology from the General Secretary of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Dr. David Tenkorang-Twum, within five days.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Friday, August 29, 2025, the GJA stressed that journalists’ safety is non-negotiable and described Dr. Tenkorang-Twum’s alleged threats as unacceptable. According to the Association, giving him five days to apologise is a necessary step to safeguard press freedom.

The GJA explained that Dr. Tenkorang-Twum allegedly stated in a June 2025 interview on Neat FM that journalists had been “marked” and would be “shown” whenever they visited public hospitals.

It said journalists’ safety is non-negotiable and insisted that such remarks put the lives of media practitioners at risk.

“Journalists’ safety is non-negotiable,” GJA President Albert Kwabena Dwumfour emphasised. “We expect nothing less than a full retraction and an unqualified apology from Dr. Tenkorang-Twum.”

“The safety of journalists is non-negotiable. Any attack on a journalist is an attack on democracy itself. Journalism is not a crime, and journalists must be treated as partners in democracy, not as targets of attacks and threats,” Mr. Dwumfour reiterated.

The Association also called on the leadership of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) to publicly distance itself from the remarks. It warned that failing to do so would imply complicity.

Additionally, the GJA said it would petition the National Media Commission (NMC), the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), and international press freedom organisations if Dr. Tenkorang-Twum fails to apologise.

It further urged the government and security agencies to ensure maximum protection for journalists, particularly in public institutions where tensions are rising. The Association appealed to civil society groups to stand in solidarity with the media, insisting that attacks on journalists amount to attacks on democracy.