By Ernest Nutsugah

Accra, March 14, GNA –The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) says it will petition the Chief Justice, Mrs Getrude Torkornoo, following the closure of a community radio station in the Eastern Region.

Mr Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, the President, GJA, said a court order, which led to the closure of the station, undermined press freedom and needed to be addressed promptly.

At a press briefing in Accra on Thursday, he said the injunction and subsequent closure of the media outlet occurred after some community members went to court, claiming that the operation of the station was becoming “a nuisance.”

Presenting the details of the case, Mr Dwumfour said the order was granted by the Kade District Court presided over by His Worship Mr. Emmanuel K. Boadu.

The ex parte injunction, he said, directed Esewani Community Radio, Esawani Information Centre and Sir Plan Information Centre, all situated at Asuom in the Eastern Region, “to cease operation until the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) assessed their noise permissible levels.”

The Plaintiffs in the case were named as the Krontihene of Asuom, Nana Boadi Amponim Obodade; the Kyedomhene of Asuom, Nana Deibour II, and Abusuapanin Abosi Agyei.

“Their case is that the operation of the Esewani Community Radio and the two information centres have become nuisance to the community due to the noise

they produce and that excessive noise can lead to neurosis and nervous breakdown,” the GJA President said.

Mr Dwumfour said the Association respected the decision of the district court but “strongly disagree with the court in granting such a gagging order.”

“It is our contention that the Kade District Court erred in law in granting the order for interim injunction ex parte because it granted the order regardless of the fact that the Plaintiffs did not demonstrate to the court that the level of noise pollution generated by the three mediums of mass communication is above the permissible level of noise by regulation.”

“We also disagree with the district court because it ordered a 10-day closure of the community radio station and the two information centres and at the same time directed the EPA to assess their permissible noise level. The question is: how will the EPA assess their noise level when they are not in operation?” he asked.

Mr Dwumfuor said the court did not “carefully consider the grounds for the interim injunction before granting same.”

With that conviction, the GJA urged the management of the community radio station to take legal steps to quash the interim injunction.

“We believe that, in an adversarial justice system like we have in Ghana, and considering the parties in the matter, the court should have put the defendants on notice in the worst-case scenario. The GJA does not see the urgency in this case that leads to the granting of the Interim Injunction.

“The guarantee of freedom for the media is one of the cornerstones of the Republican Constitution and any attempt to deny such a fundamental freedom

should be a source of worry to every democracy-loving citizen,” the Association said, urging the Chief Justice to intervene in the matter.

GNA