Join orgainsed labour if you want your working conditions to improve - Atukwei urges media practitioners

A private legal practitioner, Sam Atukwei Quaye, has advised journalists to join organized labour to press home for improved conditions of service and enhanced strong bargaining power.

The astute lawyer made this call in the wake of the World Press Freedom Day held globally on Wednesday 3rd May 2023 in an exclusive interview with Nana Dogbe of Ahotor 92.4 FM.

Journalists have on several occasions faced career-threatening issues in the country and many stakeholders are of the view that, practicing media personnel feel insecure in line with the discharge of their work. Journalists have encountered election-related abuses in recent times.

Records have shown that media practitioners suffer harsh brutalities at the hands of security operatives and ordinary citizens in their operations at the peril of their lives.

The insecurity and needless confrontations between the media and the state security apparatus is a major setbacks in the media terrain. Dozens of journalists over the years have been victimized and witch hunted in the delivery of their work. This was evident in both the 2021 and 2022 press freedom index findings released by Transparency International.

Reacting to statements to mark the day by various stakeholders in the media industry, Atukwei Quaye extolled the virtues and compliments of journalists amidst economic hardships and stated that in spite of these issues retarding the progress of journalism in the country. He indicated that the average journalist in Ghana has done enormous work to protect the country's democracy in peace and tranquillity.

Touching on journalists' remunerations and conditions of service, the private legal practitioner called on the media industry to join organized labour in their pursuit of improved and safer conditions of Service. Journalists over the years have complained bitterly about poor salaries and entitlement problems with their employers.