President Mahama condemns GNFS assault on journalist, says officers have been interdicted

Nii Ayitey Brown 12:37 - 08 January 2026

President John Dramani Mahama

President Mahama condemns the assault on a Class Media journalist by Ghana National Fire Service officers, confirms they have been identified and interdicted, and calls for accountability as media groups demand prosecution.

President John Dramani Mahama has condemned the assault on a Class Media Group journalist by personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) during coverage of a fire outbreak, confirming that the officers involved have been identified and interdicted pending investigation.

The incident occurred on 5 January 2026 at the Kasoa New Market in the Central Region, where GNFS officers were managing the aftermath of a blaze. Journalist Samuel Addo was reportedly manhandled while filming the scene, and his phone was allegedly confiscated.

Samuel Addo (shirtless) being assaulted as seen in a viral video

Addo also claimed that GHS 10,200 of the GHS 20,000 he was carrying went missing.President Mahama, who visited the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation on 8 January, condemned the attack, stressing that “violence against journalists has no place” in Ghana. He noted,

I’m a journalist by training, and so there’s no way we can countenance the continued assault on journalists.

The President, while speaking to the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) during a visit, confirmed that the GNFS officers involved had been interdicted and that investigations are ongoing.

There is no way we will tolerate the continued assault on journalists. We have engaged with the Ghana Journalists Association on these issues and will ensure they are in touch with the security services.

President Mahama added:

Many of our security personnel need reorientation to understand that, just as they provide safety, journalists are also performing their duty to inform the public. They are not antagonists to each other; they are both serving the public.

The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) described the assault as “brutal, unlawful and reprehensible,” urging the Inspector-General of Police to arrest and prosecute all officers involved.

GJA President Albert Kwabena Dwumfour emphasised that internal disciplinary measures alone are insufficient. Legal expert Samson Lardy Anyenini also called for accountability, suggesting that the GNFS Public Relations Officer, DO II Desmond Ackah, should be interdicted for defending the officers’ conduct.

He described the attack as “very dastardly” and highlighted journalists’ constitutional right to gather information without interference.

Meanwhile, media advocacy groups, including PRINPAG and the Global Media Foundation (GLOMEF), have condemned the incident and called for thorough investigations, urging protective measures for journalists.

GLOMEF even suggested collective actions by media organisations to deter future assaults. Samuel Addo has filed an official police complaint and is receiving medical documentation of his injuries. Police and GNFS authorities are cooperating to investigate the incident.

The partial recovery of Addo’s missing cash, with assistance from local MP Phyllis Naa Koryor, has been noted as part of the probe.

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