CJA files interim injunction to restrain govt

Accra, Feb. 20, GNA - The Committee for Joint Action (CJA) on Wednesday filed an order for interim injunction at an Accra Fast Truck High Court to restrain the Attorney-General and three television stations from using the video footages of its demonstrations for advertisements pending the determination of the substantive case. The three media houses are the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), TV 3 Network Limited and Metropolitan Television Limited. A Fast Track High Court earlier this week threw out the CJA's case for want of prosecution.

In a motion on notice, Mr. Mahama Ayariga, Counsel for the CJA, prayed the court to restrain the four respondents from the continuous use of its video footages for advertisement until the determination of the substantive application.

In an affidavit in support of the motion for interim injunction, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, a spokesperson of the CJA, said the Committee had organized a series of demonstrations in various regional capitals in the country to protest against some government policies and hardships of majority of Ghanaians due to the taxes imposed by government. According to him the respondents were using the video footage of the demonstrations to advertise to justify the imposition of a mobile phone talk tax, a policy the committee was against.

"On the said advertisements, certain false and misleading statements regarding the employment status of the demonstrators have been made by the respondents," he said. Mr. Ablakwa said the Committee had the right not to have their images associated with messages that were false and misleading. He is therefore, seeking a declaration that the inscription accompanying the images used in the advertisement to the effect that the demonstrators are unemployed is misleading and wrongful.