Media Foundation for West Africa — civil society organization advocating for press freedom and media integrity; recently launched legal support fund for journalists facing lawsuits.
Government says 47% of Big Push projects awarded through sole-sourcing
16
·Joy Online
The Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Sulemana Braimah, has called on the Ministry of Roads and Highways to publish details of the more than 1,000 road contracts it says were awarded through open competitive tendering. …
… Addressing a press briefing in Accra on Monday, Government Spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu said the report was prepared following allegations by The Fourth Estate and the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) suggesting widespread abuse of the single-source procurement process …
… Spokesperson and Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu in a press briefing on Monday, June 15, disclosed that President John Dramani Mahama directed an internal review after receiving a petition and supporting report from the Media Foundation for West Africa …
… The findings are contained in a 72-page report prepared by the Senior Presidential Advisor on Governmental Affairs, Dr Valerie Sawyer, following allegations by investigative journalism outlet, The Fourth Estate, and the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), which suggested abu …
… According to him, the investigation was triggered after the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), acting on behalf of The Fourth Estate, formally submitted a report to the Presidency alleging irregularities in the procurement processes under the Ministry of Roads and Highways, …
… The enquiry was commissioned following claims published by investigative journalism outlet The Fourth Estate in collaboration with the Media Foundation for West Africa concerning road sector contracts. …
… Citing figures from the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Mr. Asada said Ghana recorded 14 arrests related to false news and offensive speech within a period of less than 16 months. …
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has strongly condemned what it describes as the accelerating “weaponisation” of specific legal statutes by state security agencies to suppress free expression and press freedom in the country. …
… The same MFWA now warning about “weaponisation” of false-news laws previously acknowledged that portions of Section 76 of Act 775 were enacted for legitimate public-safety purposes, particularly where false communications could endanger lives, emergency systems, aircraft operatio …
The Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa says the arrest and investigation of Manhyia South MP Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah risks creating the perception that the case is being used to demonstrate state power, citing the circumstances of his arrest at court premises while representing a client and questions about why investigators did not alert him when he visited EOCO in his capacity as a lawyer.
The Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa says the arrest and investigation of Manhyia South MP Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah risks creating the perception that the case is being used to demonstrate state power, citing the circumstances of his arrest at court premises while representing a client and questions about why investigators did not alert him when he visited EOCO in his capacity as a lawyer.
The Media Foundation for West Africa has launched a GH¢544,000 Legal Support Fund to help Ghanaian journalists and media organisations defend against legal challenges when publishing investigative stories and accountability reporting. The fund, launched in Accra in September 2026 under the African Media Integrity and Resilience Programme, is implemented by MFWA in partnership with DW Akademie through International Media Support with European Union funding.
Salomey Awiti Bafoh reflects on how fear of government reprisal—rather than explicit state censorship—is causing Ghanaians to silence themselves and discourage others from criticising government, even in private settings.
President John Dramani Mahama has directed the Ghana Journalists Association and Media Foundation for West Africa to convene a national stakeholder engagement on hate speech, abusive online content, and responsible digital communication, and to develop a roadmap for addressing the problem. The engagement is expected to involve the National Media Commission, Ghana Police Service, civil society, traditional media, bloggers, influencers, legal and human-rights experts, digital platforms and other institutions.
President John Dramani Mahama has asked the Ghana Journalists Association and Media Foundation for West Africa to lead a national stakeholder engagement on hate speech, abusive online content, and responsible digital communication, and to develop a roadmap addressing the issue. The initiative raises questions about where to draw the line between legitimate criticism and hate speech in Ghana's public discourse.
The Chronicle editorial supports President Mahama's call for a national conversation on regulating TikTok and other social media platforms, arguing that stakeholders including media organisations, civil society, legal experts, and users—not just politicians—should help determine appropriate rules that protect freedom of expression while addressing misinformation, threats, and incitement to violence.
Ghanaian artiste Shatta Wale has written to President Mahama calling for a balanced framework to address defamation and harassment on social media while protecting freedom of expression, proposing that Ghana's response be guided by clearly defined laws, due process and independent judicial oversight. His appeal follows President Mahama's call for a national stakeholder dialogue on regulating TikTok and other new media platforms.
Lawyer Bobby Banson has criticised the use of social media to attack and damage the reputations of others, particularly public figures, under the guise of freedom of speech, arguing that some people make harmful claims because they believe there will be no consequences. His comments came amid a national debate over how authorities should respond to harmful online content, following the detention of nurse Salomey Awiti Bafoh, who is accused of helping a UK-based TikToker publish false information, while President John Dramani Mahama called for restraint in handling speech-related cases.
President John Mahama said Ghana needs a broader conversation on regulating TikTok and other new media platforms, citing concerns about information integrity, anonymous content, and the balance between free expression and harmful or misleading material. He noted that the democratisation of information through mobile phones has created challenges traditional media regulation was not designed to address.
President John Dramani Mahama has cautioned against the criminalisation of legitimate criticism, political commentary, satire and dissent while addressing harmful content on social media. He called on the Media Foundation for West Africa and Ghana Journalists Association to jointly convene a national stakeholder engagement on hate speech and harmful content, noting that arrests over mere criticism could be counterproductive and undermine public confidence in state institutions.
President Mahama has cautioned against disproportionate arrests for mere criticism or political commentary, saying such actions risk creating "undeserving martyrs" and eroding public confidence in state institutions. He has called for a national stakeholder engagement to develop a balanced approach that protects freedom of expression while addressing genuinely harmful digital content.
President Mahama has tasked the Media Foundation for West Africa and Ghana Journalists Association to jointly convene a national stakeholder engagement on hate speech and harmful digital content, seeking to develop a coherent approach that protects freedom of expression while addressing genuinely harmful online conduct.
A Senior Nursing Officer and another woman have been arrested or declared wanted in connection with a viral TikTok account called Ghana Jollof, which has featured political content, insults, and accusations. The incident has sparked criticism about whether Ghana is arresting people over speech, with the article questioning the scope and justification of the police action.
The Media Foundation for West Africa has established a Legal Support Fund with seed capital of GH¢544,000 to assist journalists and media houses facing legal threats or suits while performing their duties in the public interest. The Fund is part of the African Media Integrity and Resilience Programme, implemented in Ghana with support from the European Union.
The Media Foundation for West Africa has established a Legal Support Fund worth approximately GHS 544,000 to provide legal assistance to journalists and media organisations facing Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) and other legal threats arising from their professional work in Ghana. The fund is part of the African Media Integrity and Resilience Programme funded by the European Union.
Sulemana Braimah, Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa, questions Ghana's commitment to fighting corruption, noting that the creation of anti-corruption institutions like the Office of the Special Prosecutor has not stopped corruption from growing despite existing bodies such as EOCO, FIC, CID, and CHRAJ.
The Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa expressed confidence that the newly constituted 11-member bipartisan committee will successfully oversee the implementation of Ghana's proposed constitutional reforms, saying its cross-party composition could foster consensus and serve the national interest.
The Media Foundation for West Africa's Executive Director has expressed cautious optimism about the government's renewed constitutional reform efforts, welcoming the inauguration of an 11-member committee to advance recommendations from the Constitution Review Committee and noting that President Mahama has committed to pursuing a comprehensive constitutional reform process.
The Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa claims that former President Akufo-Addo showed little interest in reviewing Ghana's 1992 Constitution while in office, having argued during CSO meetings that the Constitution had sustained Ghana's democracy for decades and should not be altered.
The Media Foundation for West Africa has referred the Controller and Accountant General's Department to the Right to Information Commission after the Department refused to release information on salary deductions for the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (Mahama Cares), citing confidentiality protections under the Right to Information Act.
Sulemana Braimah, Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa, has called on the National Service Authority to end its capacity-building programme and refund deductions made from national service personnel allowances, citing concerns including a GH¢60 capacity-building charge and findings from a forensic audit that identified unsupported payments of GH¢9,276,535.00 to the National Service Personnel Association without formal agreements.
Sulemana Braimah, Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa, warned that Ghana risks reintroducing the repealed criminal libel law if police continue arresting people over alleged false publications instead of allowing civil legal processes. He cited the arrest of broadcaster Kwabena Bobie Ansah over claims about former First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo as an example, arguing that defamation should be handled through the National Media Commission, retractions, apologies, or civil court suits rather than police action.
The Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa says Ghana has failed to take decisive action against misinformation and disinformation, which threaten the country's democracy and social cohesion. He argues that successive governments have not responded proactively, and that political actors tolerate false information when it benefits their opponents.
The New Patriotic Party has condemned a one-year prison sentence imposed on TikToker Camilla Alhassan for publishing videos alleging President Mahama performed ritual sacrifices of 32 cows to secure election victory. The NPP says the imprisonment raises constitutional questions about freedom of expression and represents "growing intolerance" under the current administration.
The New Patriotic Party has condemned the one-year prison sentence handed to TikToker Camilla Alhassan by the Accra Circuit Court after she pleaded guilty to offensive conduct for publishing videos alleging President Mahama had buried 32 cows as ritual sacrifices. The NPP said the imprisonment raises constitutional questions about freedom of speech and described it as a troubling signal of growing intolerance.
The Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa has questioned the circumstances of the Economic and Organised Crime Office's arrest of NPP communicator Dennis Miracles Aboagye at Kotoka International Airport, saying EOCO did not indicate he had obstructed investigations or refused cooperation.
Ghana's Right to Information Act guarantees free access to official information, capping reproduction costs at 38 pesewas per A4 page, yet institutions including the Electoral Commission, Registrar of Companies, and Ghana Meteorological Agency are demanding illegal charges ranging from thousands of cedis, undermining constitutional transparency rights.
Ghana has developed one of Africa's most open communication environments since the 1992 Constitution, with citizens and journalists engaging freely on governance and public issues. However, new challenges including political polarization, misinformation, online harassment, digital surveillance, hate speech, economic pressures on journalism, and legal contestation of public expression have emerged in the digital age.
The Minister of State in charge of Government Communications stated that over 90 percent of road projects under the 'Big Push' initiative were awarded through competitive tendering, refuting claims of abuse of single-sourcing procurement. Of 1,441 road contracts awarded by the Ministry of Roads and Highways, 1,301 were awarded through open or competitive tendering, with the remaining 140 awarded under the 'Big Push' initiative through various procurement methods.
The Minister of State for Government Communications has dismissed allegations of abuse in single-source procurement by the Ministry of Roads and Highways under the Big Push infrastructure programme, stating that a government investigation found more than 90 per cent of road contracts awarded in 2025 and 2026 were procured through open competitive tendering.