Mahama condemns assault on JoyNews Journalist

President John Dramani Mahama has strongly criticized the reported assault on a JoyNews journalist and his cameraman by some military officers and national security operatives during a demolition exercise in Accra.

The incident, which took place on Wednesday, July 30, during the pulling down of a warehouse linked to businessman Daniel McKorley (popularly known as McDan), has sparked public outcry and renewed concerns over the safety of journalists in the line of duty.

Addressing the issue publicly for the first time on Thursday, July 31, at the swearing-in ceremony of newly appointed deputy ministers at the Jubilee House, the President did not mince words.

He described the actions of the security operatives as unjustifiable and a serious affront to Ghana’s commitment to press freedom.

“I have asked for a full-scale investigation into this matter,” he said. “Security agencies must not only uphold the law—they must be held to the same standards when they breach it.”

Mr. Mahama stressed that under his leadership, the rights of journalists would be protected at all costs, adding that intimidation and physical attacks on the media had no place in Ghana’s democratic space.

“As someone who proudly holds membership in the Ghana Journalists Association, I find these actions deeply disturbing. I will not preside over a government that tolerates the abuse or harassment of any journalist,” he said.

He further hinted at plans to convene a meeting between the Ghana Journalists Association and the heads of the various security agencies in the coming weeks. The objective, he noted, would be to develop a structured engagement that fosters mutual respect and helps security personnel understand the critical role of the media in national development.

Details emerging from the scene suggest that JoyNews journalist Carlos Carlony was conducting an interview with a bystander at the demolition site when he was abruptly confronted by uniformed personnel. Despite identifying himself as a journalist on duty, he was reportedly manhandled, forcibly detained, and later assaulted while in custody.

Carlony was allegedly held alongside McDan and three others. Eyewitnesses claim all four were forced to kneel on the ground, while the journalist endured physical blows from behind. He has since sought medical attention and undergone a series of tests following complaints of body pain and dizziness.

The assault has been condemned widely by civil society organisations, media advocates, and human rights groups who have called for urgent reforms to prevent such abuses of power.