Tema: Mr. Suleiman Mustapha, a Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) National Organising Secretary Candidate, has stated that the association must make attacks on journalists an expensive venture. Mr. Mustapha, engaging media practitioners in Tema, reiterated that attacks on journalists have become too many and the association needs to take concrete steps to deter people from engaging in such attacks.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Mustapha emphasized the importance of collaboration between the GJA and the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) to ensure that attackers of journalists are prosecuted and held accountable. He stated, "Let's make attacks on journalists an expensive venture; in that case, the attacker can't even get the victim to beg for leniency."
Mr. Mustapha also highlighted that the GJA is a credible and powerful association, and stressed the need for partnerships to prevent attacks on journalists. He discussed the association's role as a welfare entity, emphasizing that its programs should support the welfare of members both during their active service and in retirement.
He further mentioned that to increase interest in the association's activities, the various branches and chapters must become more vibrant. On the topic of unionization, Mr. Mustapha noted that many journalists receive inadequate salaries, making it difficult for them to afford healthcare when needed. He proposed partnerships with private health insurance providers and encouraged media house owners to improve salary conditions to motivate journalists to perform at their best.
Mr. Mustapha acknowledged that the process of unionization began under the former GJA president, Mr. Affail Monney, but it has yet to be fully realized.
