A press freedom advocacy group, United Press for Development Network (UPDN), has demanded of the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana to revert to the old arrangement of allowing unrestricted media access in the coverage of the general election on Saturday. The group said in a statement, “the credibility of Ghana’s 2024 elections depends on a free, independent, and unrestricted press”, threatening to take legal action should EC fails to heed their call.

UPDN’s call comes in the wake of fresh criticism of the election management body on its conduct of the general election following a directive to EC regional directors on Monday, November 25 to restrict media accreditation into the collation centres on voting day to 8 and 12 stations per each constituency collation centre and regional collation centre respectively. The said directive drew condemnation from a section of the media including Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) which forced the EC to later adjust the accreditation numbers after consultation with GJA and GIBA.

The group however notes that, “while the increase from 3,308 to 4,500 accreditations is acknowledged, it is insufficient and does not address the broader implications of restricting the press.”

Read the full statement: