Gov’t Welcomes 2022 Press Freedom Index Published By Reporters

The government has welcomed Reporters Without Borders’ 2022 Press Freedom Index, which shows Ghana has dropped from 30 to 60 in the global rankings, and has stated that the report will serve as a baseline against which the government will work with the National Media Commission (NMC) to help deepen the implementation of a Coordinated Mechanism on the safety of Ghanaian journalists.

Recognizing that the report’s publishers’ explanation of a change in methodology for 2022 may have contributed to Ghana’s dip, the government said it will work with stakeholders, particularly Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), to deepen education for State and non-State actors on journalist safety.

It also stated that it will assist Reporters Without Borders in addressing the country’s dismal economic conditions for most journalists and that it will continue to work with media groups, including media owners, to improve the working and economic conditions of journalists.

Another plan announced by the administration is to “collaborate with stakeholders in the battle against disinformation and the dissemination of fake news.”