The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) says it is appalled at the verbal attacks on Luv FM journalist, Erastus Asare Donkor, by the Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong.
In a statement, the MFWA said it also finds the statement dangerous
“We find the MP’s comments inflammatory and reckless, liable to put the life of the reporter of the Kumasi-based radio station in danger. It is, therefore, a frontal attack on press freedom,” the statement said.
The Journalist had reported on the killing of the critical social media activist Mohammed Ibrahim Anyass, popularly called Kaaka, at Ejura in the Ashanti Region and a subsequent protest by the youth of the town in which two people were shot dead by security forces.
The reporter was later invited by a Committee set up by the government to probe the incidents.
But commenting on Asare Donkor’s reports and subsequent submissions before the Committee, the Assin Central MP, who also chairs the Parliamentary Select-Committee on Defense and Interior, called for the journalist to be beaten up.
“That boy should be beaten seriously. He is so annoying. For the foolish submissions he made before the Committee, we have to beat the hell out of him. If I were the President, I would have ordered this boy to be whipped”, the lawmaker said in an interview on July 9, 2021, on Net2 TV, which he owns.
The MP also attacked Joy FM, the sister station of Luv FM and the Ghanaian media in general. The Multimedia Group (MGL), the mother stable to both Joy and Luv FM has since lodged a complaint against the MP with the Ashanti regional Police.
“Sir, you may recall that sometime in the recent past, Honourable Agyapong issued similar threats against Ahmed Hussein-Suale, who at the time had undertaken some journalistic works; Ahmed Hussein-Suale was later horribly killed,” the MGL said in their letter to the police which copied several important institutions including Parliament, the Presidency and the Manhyia Palace
The MFWA says that the journalist has told the MFWA that he does not feel safe and that the Management of the MGL, has asked him to stay off work and keep a low profile.
“The MFWA is deeply concerned about the MP’s hostility towards Erastus Asare Donkor and his open call for the journalist to be beaten. This concern is born out of Kennedy Agyapong’s previous attacks on Ahmed Suale before the investigative journalist was murdered in Accra on January 16, 2019. The MP had published a picture of the undercover journalist and urged his supporters to attack him wherever they found him,” MFWA stated.
“Against this background, we find Kennedy Agyapong’s attack on Erastus Asare Donkor reckless and highly disappointing, especially from an MP and at this time when the country is still mourning the killing of Ibrahim Mohammed Kaaka and the two protesters,”
The MFWA has also expressed concern about the increasing number of Police and Military brutalities against civilians.
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