WAES Condemns Assault on Media General Journalist, Warns of Growing Threat to Press Freedom in Ghana

The West Africa Editors Society (WAES) has strongly condemned the alleged assault of a journalist by military officers, warning that repeated attacks on media practitioners pose a serious threat to press freedom and Ghana’s democratic credentials.

In a statement issued on January 27, 2026, WAES expressed deep concern over what it described as the unprovoked assault on Solomon Kanaluwe, the North East Regional Correspondent of Media General. According to the Society, Kanaluwe was detained by military officers and subjected to severe beatings with sticks, resulting in lacerations and wounds on his body.

WAES noted that the incident is part of a worrying pattern of attacks on journalists by state security officers, including the police, fire service, and military. The Society recalled that barely a month earlier, officers of the Ghana National Fire Service allegedly assaulted another journalist, Samuel Addo of the Class Media Group, in Kasoa, a case that is yet to see closure.

“The unending attacks on journalists and the seeming inaction of authorities to stop them are alarming,” WAES stated, urging Ghanaian authorities to urgently investigate these incidents, rein in offending officers, and sanction those found culpable. The Society emphasized that the primary responsibility of state security officers is to protect life and property and maintain peace, not to intimidate or brutalize journalists carrying out their lawful duties.

WAES further warned that such misconduct is increasingly becoming a blot on Ghana’s international reputation. While Ghana is often praised as a leading example of democratic governance in Africa, the Society said repeated abuses by security personnel risk undermining public trust and the country’s standing among its peers.

Calling for urgent action, WAES appealed to the authorities to demonstrate responsibility and commitment to press freedom by bringing an end to what it described as “unpalatable happenings” involving state security officers and journalists.

The West Africa Editors Society is a regional body representing editors across West Africa and is affiliated with the African Editors Forum (TAEF), the continental association of editors in Africa.