Journalists in Ghana who face legal threats and court suits in the line of duty can now access financial relief, following the launch of a dedicated Legal Support Fund by the Media Foundation for West Africa, MFWA.
The initiative, backed by over five hundred and forty-four thousand Ghana cedis in seed capital, is funded by the European Union through International Media Support and implemented in partnership with DW Akademie.
It aims to cushion public-interest media practitioners against heavy legal expenses and court harassment.
Speaking on the purpose of the intervention, at opening of a five-day legal training for journalists in Ghana, MFWA’s Programme Director, Media for Democracy and Good Governance, Dr. Kojo Impraim, explained that the fund seeks to remove the financial burden from reporters holding leaders accountable.“… we have seen over the course of their work, they find it difficult having a rational model to go through that legal battle…the point is trying to take that burden from them by providing counsel and legal support.”
He believes this will enable journalists to go through the work set and achieve accountability, support democracy, and support people’s speech in a special area.Meanwhile, he warned that the fund will not cover reckless or sensational reporting, emphasizing that financial assistance is strictly reserved for journalists who uphold professional ethics.
Legal ProtectionMFWA notes that gaining legal protection goes hand-in-hand with media responsibility.
Elaborating on the operational guidelines, MFWA’s Programmes Manager, Dr. Daniel Kwame Ampofo Adjei, urged journalists to adopt preventive measures to avoid unnecessary legal battles altogether.
On her part, the Vice-President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Rebecca Ekpe welcomed the fund as a timely intervention that will empower reporters to investigate stories without fear of intimidation.
Training Workshop The training is being organized by MFWA in partnership with DW Akademie and forms part MFWA’s project titled “African media integrity and resilience programme. It’s being funded by the European Union through International Media Support (IMS) across Ghana and the Central African Republic.
Participating journalists Participating journalists are expected to be equipped with the legal knowledge and skills needed to practice safely and defend themselves against legal threats or court harassment.
They will also be trained on how to access the Legal Support Fund, which pays for legal representation and court costs when journalists face lawsuits over their reporting.
Read also: 63rd UAJ Training Course Ends with Call for Unified African Media Front
