The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has strongly condemned the alleged assault of a journalist by military personnel in Walewale, North East Region, describing the act as “unacceptable, unlawful, and deeply troubling.”
Mr. Solomon Kwame Kanaluwe, North East Regional Correspondent for Media General and Secretary of the GJA North East Region, was reportedly attacked on Sunday, January 26, 2026, at around 3:00 pm while going about his private and professional duties.
According to a report submitted to the GJA, Mr. Kanaluwe had parked his motorcycle near a roadside store to purchase basic supplies when a group of military personnel approached him. Without provocation, the soldiers questioned the ownership of his motorcycle and allegedly subjected him to physical assault.
Two personnel reportedly beat him on the back with sticks and canes multiple times, claiming he had parked in an unauthorised location. The assault continued even after he identified himself as a journalist.
Mr. Kanaluwe was reportedly detained for a short period, during which his phone was seized, and some pictures and messages were deleted.
Addressing journalists on Wednesday, January 28, the GJA President, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, said, “The GJA condemns this assault in the strongest terms and calls on the Military High Command to immediately investigate this incident, identify the personnel involved, and apply appropriate sanctions.
“We further demand that the matter be treated with the seriousness it deserves and that the victim is offered protection and support. Attacks on journalists by military personnel, whether in the line of duty or otherwise, are completely intolerable and must not be normalised under any circumstances.
“This conduct reflects a dangerous disregard for the rights of civilians and journalists and undermines public confidence in the professionalism of the Ghana Armed Forces. The association has called on the Military High Command to investigate the incident, identify those responsible, and apply appropriate sanctions, while providing protection and support to the victim.”
He also recalled a similar incident on July 30, 2025, when Carlos Calony of Multimedia Group’s JoyNews was assaulted by armed individuals in military attire while covering a demolition exercise at the McDan Warehouse on Spintex Road in Accra. “It is quite unfortunate that the Military High Command has failed to act on the matter,” the association noted.
He urged the Military High Command to demonstrate its professionalism by acting swiftly on both incidents to restore public trust in the armed forces.
“Attacks on journalists by military personnel, whether in the line of duty or otherwise, are completely intolerable and must not be normalised under any circumstances,” the GJA President emphasised.
