Caleb's Arrest: Apologetic GJA President begs for forgiveness over comments

Mr. Roland Affail Monney, GJA President 

President of the Ghana Journalists Association, GJA, Roland Affail Monney says the degree of intimidation against the entire staff and management of CITI FM by National Security Operatives  in their attempt to cause the arrest of its reporters, Caleb Kuda and Zoe Abu Baidoo Addo was an affront to their freedom as journalists.

“The intrinsic value and inherit dignity of the two as human being were blatantly abused”.
Whilst calling for an end to attacks, threats and hostilities against media practitioners, Mr Monney challenged the Committee of Enquiry set up by the Ministry of National Security to expedite action by running a full scale investigation into the issue devoid of any impartiality.

He added that findings and recommendations should also be implemented with  urgent celerity to give meaning to the country’s motto mantra “the land of freedom and justice”. According to the GJA President, the “massive” invasion preceding the  conduct of the national security operatives should not be entertained since it could exert a significant chilling effect on the media landscape.

Briefing the media in reaction to his earlier comments made via an Accra based radio station Joy Fm, which he described as “misimpression” Mr Monney remorsefully admitted that he erred by being insensitive to the plight of the affected journalists.

He however condemned the attack and expressed his deepest apology for his ‘scanty” assumptions, stressing that he is not in anyway justifying the excessive force and intimidatory tactics against the victims.

 Explaining further, Mr Monney indicated that his earlier submission which sought to condemn over the attack on the two went unnoticed but rather swept under the carpet while his comment on Caleb’s “ethical breach” and style was overly highlighted, obviously to achieve certain sensational ends.

He noted that as former school leader and an advocate of justice, it is only important, fair and healthy for a free society like ours to allow for varied viewpoints to be manifestly venerated and  not maliciously castigated.

Story by GBCs Isaac Asare