The information gathered suggests, the Director of Special Operations at the National Security Secretariat, Richard Jakpa, has blocked a Journalist from interviewing the acting Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea.
According to reports, two journalists from The Fourth Estate, on August 11, were blocked by Richard Jakpa after reaching the Ghana Health Service headquarters for a scheduled interview.
Reports indicated the journalists were investigating a major health sector scandal and needed Dr Samuel Kaba Akoriyea to clarify some issues.
The acting Director-General of the Ghana Health Service agreed to the interview and suggested the interview be held at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge Hospital).
Dr Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, after the Journalist arrived, instructed a staff member to call National Security.
Richard Jakpa later called the journalist on the phone, saying, “So you went there, what are you working on?” and quizzed what exactly they were interviewing him about what exactly.
The reporters refused to give details of their interview due to journalistic confidentiality with Jakpa, then ordered them to leave.
The Fourth Estate journalist then left the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge Hospital) after they felt threatened and later filed a complaint at the Ministries Police Station in Accra.
In addition, Sulemana Braimah, the Executive Director of the MFWA, has asserted that the National Security is fast gaining notoriety for press freedom violations.
Speaking in an interview, he stated, “The National Security is fast gaining notoriety for press freedom violations in a way that is seriously disturbing”.
“What has national security got to do with journalists doing a harmless exercise such as interviewing a public official? Why should national security officials be at the beck and call of public officials to do crude work for them?” he quizzed.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has strongly condemned Richard Jakpa’s conduct as a blatant breach of Article 162 (4) of the 1992 Constitution.
They further cited the manhandling of Multimedia Group by National Security, also the three-hour interrogation of Prosper Agbenyegah, Editor of Current Issues newspaper by the National Security Secretariat into the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
Also, MFWA is calling on President John Dramani Mahama to call his national security appointees to order following their constant disregard to press freedom under his regime.
In a related threat to journalists, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, the President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), has called for the arrest and interdiction of the National Security operatives who assaulted a JoyNews Journalist.
Speaking on Citi Eyewitness News on Wednesday, July 30, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour stated, “We expect the government, even though we welcome their condemnation, to immediately interdict and arrest the security officers involved and begin investigations.
If, after investigations, they are not guilty, then they can be released. But what is the meaning of just issuing a directive for investigations while we sit back and watch?” he queried.
Meanwhile, Ghana has continued to drop in the Global Press Freedom Index.
Ghana improved on its ranking on the Index for 2024, moving from 62 to 5o, but has now dropped two places to 2025 in the latest press freedom index.
Journalists’ safety has seriously deteriorated in recent years as their work is frequently obstructed by politicians and Security Agencies.
Also, the brutal death of investigative reporter Ahmed Hussein-Suale some years ago has still not been resolved, although some progress has been made this year with a suspect now in court.