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GJA says it does not know the 50 deported journalists from Australia

The Ghana Journalist Association has distanced itself from the Ghanaian journalist deported from Australia for the coverage of Gold Coast 2018.

Reports in Ghana on Tuesday, April 3, 2018, a day before the opening ceremony of the 2018 Commonwealth Game indicated Australian officials were not convinced about reasons from some Ghanaian journalists on their trip to the country.

However, Ghana’s Deputy Sports Minister Pious Enam Hadidze told Starr News that:

“The explanation is that a grant of visa or entry permit is not automatic and that at the point of entry, the Australian authorities do some further investigations and so based on those investigations some of the officials are not convinced that some of the Ghanaians who purport to go and cover the commonwealth games intend to return to Ghana after the games.”

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In a statement by the Ghana Journalist Association addressing the issue, the GJA wrote:

“The GJA wishes to put on the record that it does not know the identity of the so-called journalists; neither is it aware of their mission in Australia.

“Although Ghanaian journalists travelling outside the country for official events are not obliged to inform the GJA about their assignments, it is quite strange that the GJA is not aware of the identity of the deportees, including the media institutions they claim to represent.”

Check out the full statement:

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