The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has issued a five-day ultimatum demanding an unqualified public apology from the General Secretary of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Dr. David Tenkorang-Twum, over what it calls reckless and dangerous threats against journalists.
The Association’s outrage follows comments Dr. Tenkorang-Twum was alleged to have made in June 2025 during an interview on Neat FM during the GRNMA nationwide strike.
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He claimed that journalists had been ‘marked’ and would be ‘shown’ anytime they visited public hospitals.
“This is not a slip of the tongue. It is a blatant threat of violence against journalists in Ghana. Such comments are irresponsible, disturbing, and unbecoming of a leader of a professional health association,” the GJA stressed in a statement.
Addressing a press conference on Friday, GJA President Albert Kwabena Dwumfour warned the Association would hold Dr. Tenkorang-Twum personally responsible should any journalist come to harm in public health facilities. He also pressed the leadership of GRNMA to dissociate itself from the remarks, cautioning that silence would be interpreted as complicity.
According to the GJA, nothing short of a full retraction and an unqualified apology will suffice. It further demanded that Dr. Tenkorang-Twum make a clear pledge never to repeat such threats. Failure to comply, it warned, would compel the Association to escalate the matter to the National Media Commission (NMC), the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), and international press freedom watchdogs.
The GJA also urged the government, the Ministry of Health, and security agencies to provide concrete assurances that journalists will be protected while carrying out their duties, particularly in public spaces where risks are highest.
Reiterating its position, Mr. Dwumfour declared: “The safety of journalists is non-negotiable. Any attack on a journalist is an attack on democracy itself. Journalism is not a crime, and journalists must be treated as partners in democracy, not targets of threats.”
The GJA appealed to civil society, advocacy groups, and the public to rally behind the media fraternity, stressing that safeguarding journalists is essential to protecting Ghana’s democratic space.
While condemning Dr. Tenkorang-Twum’s statements, the Association also admonished sections of the media for unethical reporting, particularly bloggers and outlets that linked the June 2025 interview to the recent Ridge Hospital incident, describing such reports as misleading and damaging to the credibility of the profession.