GJA Threatens to Return EC’s 4,500 Media Accreditations if Not Increased

The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has issued a stern warning to the Electoral Commission (EC) over the allocation of media accreditations for the upcoming elections.

Initially, the EC set a minimum of 3,308 media accreditations, which drew widespread criticism from journalists and media advocacy groups who argued that this number was inadequate for ensuring comprehensive coverage, particularly at key collation centres.

In response to the backlash, the EC increased the allocation to 4,500 accreditations.

However, GJA President Albert Dwumfour, said this revised figure remains insufficient and must be further increased to ensure full media coverage.

“We are not compromising on anything. We are saying that we will make sure the media has the necessary numbers to cover the elections and access all centres freely,” Dwumfour said.

He added, “We have received the 4,500 accreditations, but we told the EC we cannot distribute them. It’s simple: either you cooperate with us, or we will return the cards and ask the EC to handle the distribution themselves.”

Dwumfour emphasized the need for proper accreditation to grant media personnel access to collation centres, constituency sectors, and legal areas during the elections.

“We will not distribute the current allocation unless the EC cooperates and increases the number of accreditations. If the EC does not work with us, we will return the 4,500 accreditations to them for redistribution,” he asserted.