The Deputy Minister for the Interior, Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, has called on the Ghana Police Service to permanently integrate modules on freedom of expression and the safety of journalists into the curriculum of all police training institutions. He stressed that protecting media practitioners is fundamental to safeguarding Ghana’s democratic governance.
Speaking at the opening of a training workshop on “Freedom of Expression and the Safety of Journalists” at Narpo Hotels in Accra, the Deputy Minister said the Ministry fully supports initiatives that strengthen respect for human rights and enhance professional cooperation between the police and the media.
“Freedom of expression is more than a constitutional article; it is the right that gives life to all other rights,” he said. “When journalists feel safe, our democracy is safe. When the media works freely, our society grows stronger.”
He reminded officers that maintaining law and order must not conflict with upholding civil liberties.
“Your duty is not only to maintain public order but also to safeguard the rights and freedoms that define who we are as a country,” he noted.
The Deputy Minister commended UNESCO for training more than 8,600 security personnel across Africa over the last decade, and expressed gratitude to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the Ghana Police Service, and the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) for their collaboration.
The workshop, organised by UNESCO in partnership with OHCHR, the Ghana Police Service, and the GJA, aims to deepen understanding and strengthen trust between law enforcement and the media, particularly during protests, elections, and other periods of heightened tension.
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