as African Journalists Pledge Stronger Collective Action
Ghana will host the 6th Continental Congress of the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), after the federation’s Steering Committee unanimously approved a bid by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) at a two-day meeting in Accra.
The Congress, the FAJ’s highest decision-making gathering will bring together affiliated journalists’ unions and associations from across Africa to set the federation’s programme and priorities, elect new leadership and engage solidarity organisations and cooperating partners.
The decision capped a meeting held on 17–18 September, hosted by the GJA with support from Ghanaian corporate group KGL, during which the Steering Committee reviewed attacks on media freedom, labour rights violations and growing economic pressures on journalists and media houses across the continent.
Members also approved the FAJ’s financial and independent audit reports, admitted four new member organisations, adopted a new communication strategy to raise the profile of the Pan-African journalists’ movement, and reviewed the federation’s growing engagement with the African Union and the United Nations.
During the mission, FAJ leaders held talks with President John Dramani Mahama on media freedom, the safety of journalists and information integrity, encouraging Ghana to play a leading role in reversing the decline of press freedom on the continent.
Addressing the opening session, Minister of State for Government Communications Felix Kwakye Ofosu said Ghana would not tolerate the harassment or intimidation of journalists and pledged to stand for media freedom at home and across Africa.
FAJ President Omar Faruk Osman said the federation left Accra “with renewed determination, stronger mobilisation and a clear sense of direction”, declaring that journalists’ response to mounting attacks must be “stronger organisation, undeterred movement and a powerful collective voice.”