Ghana Minister Samuel Nartey George vows protection for journalists

Ghana’s Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, has pledged that the state will pursue individuals who attack journalists, regardless of their professional status, uniform, or political affiliation. Speaking at a forum organized by the Media Foundation for West Africa, the minister emphasized that a free press is essential to democracy and called for an end to impunity regarding crimes against media personnel.

During the event, which coincided with the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, the Model Safety of Journalists Policy was launched to provide media institutions with frameworks for physical, digital, legal, and psychological protection. George noted that Ghana’s ranking in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index improved to 39th out of 180 countries.

In a separate critique of the broadcasting sector, the minister addressed the high volume of media outlets in Ghana, questioning the necessity of nearly 700 radio stations and 120 television stations for a population of 35 million. He characterized the proliferation of politically and religiously affiliated media as “media tyranny” and alleged that some religious organizations use proxy companies to bypass legal restrictions on broadcast license ownership.