Ghana @ 69: Media and Its Role in Nation Building
FiiFi Netty
28 May 2026
Over the years, Ghana’s media landscape has experienced profound transformation, moving through state-owned and control, restrictions, and eventual liberalisation. From the First Republic to the current Fourth Republic, the media has consistently played a vital role in shaping the country’s democratic development.
The media continues to play a pivotal role in Ghana’s democratic journey. From the pre-independence era through to the period after independence in 1957, it has remained central to informing, educating, and entertaining the citizens, and in keeping government on its toes, and holding leaders and individuals accountable.
During the First Republic, the media was largely state-controlled, and subjected to governmental control. They turned out to be outlets to disseminate and promote official policies. Private ownership of the media and pluralism were restricted.
Under the military regimes, especially around the Second Republic, media control tightened further. State outlets promoted government policies, while private ownership was restricted, limiting press freedom and diversity of views.
The Third Republic marked a brief shift toward greater media openness and improved press freedom, with private newspapers like The Statesman, The Free Press, and and The Independent emerging to widen media diversity.
The return of military rule in 1981 brought renewed restrictions, with tighter control over both state and private media. Press freedom declined, and independent and dissenting voices were suppressed and created what came to be the "culture of silence".
A defining moment for the media came with the advent of the Fourth Republic in 1992. Ghana’s return to constitutional rule signaled a renewed commitment to democracy and fostered a more open and vibrant media landscape.
The 1992 Constitution—particularly Chapter 12 on the Freedom and Independence of the Media—provisions that guarantees press freedom, freedom of expression, media pluralism, diversity, liberalisation, and independence.
The early years of the Fourth Republic were defined by peaceful democratic transition, increased media diversity and pluralism, liberalization, amd respect for freedom of expression. These were provided impetus by the repeal of the criminal libel law in July 2001.
Media freedom is generally upheld, although occasional tensions between the government and the press persist. At times, the media have taken a stand to defend freedom of expression, especially when there were perceived attempts to restrict press freedom. There have been demonstrations in support of free expression, as well as vigils held for journalists who were jailed under the criminal libel law.
The media have witnessed generally open environment, though concerns were raised over regulatory measures proposed by institutions such as the National Communications Authority (NCA) and the National Media Commission (NMC). Critics argued that high licensing fees and content regulations could potentially limit media independence and freedom of expression.
In recent years, the passage of the Right to Information Act in 2019 marked a significant milestone in empowering citizens to access public information and strengthening democratic accountability.
Today, Ghana’s media landscape stands out as one of the most vibrant in Africa. The country is home to hundreds of radio and television stations, thousands of print publications, and a fast-growing digital media space. This expansion highlights the resilience and evolution of the media as a vital pillar of democratic governance. With support from key international partners that included UNESCO, UNDP, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, the Unites States Embassy, the European Union, British and Canadian High Commissions, the French, German and Netherlands Embassies.
As Ghana marks 69 years of independence, the media’s role remains as critical as ever. It continues to inform, educate, and hold power to account. However, sustaining these gains requires continuous commitment to press freedom, responsible journalism, and regulatory frameworks that protect—not stifle—free expression.
Mr. Bright Blewu, the longest-serving GJA General Secretary and the only person to have served as both General Secretary & Director of the GiPC concurrently, indicated that, Ghana has made significant progress on expanding press freedom and freedom of expression compared to other countries and there's no doubt that quite a lot has been achieved in terms of the extension of the boundaries of press freedom and freedom of expression.
Thanks to the 1992 Constitution, especially Chapter 12, on "Freedom and Independence of the Media." It provided us with some form of road map and served as a compass.
However, he indicated that we are still not out of the woods yet. There's is still a lot that we need to do especially in the area of the framework of the electronic media as regards to our broadcast industry which I consider the most effective and yet the most slippery slope on the whole media landscape when it comes to audience participation. How, for instance, can we reduce the prejudices, suspicions, and mistrust associated with frequency allocation, the range of operations of frequencies etc.? I think some extra effort now needs to go into achievng quality rather than the quantity that we have so far had in term of operations.
A reexamination of the current framework after thirty-four years of our media operations, under the 1992 Constitution, should help us address what we consider to be the weaknesses in the performance of all types of our media.
There's a lot that can be done in terms of enacting a Broadcasting Law that sets the rules and parameters of operations, and reviewing the work of both the National Communications Authority and the National Media Commission to get them work bilaterally or multilaterally to ensure that standard is met. Social media has been a blessing, especially in terms of free expression and information sharing, but has left unpredictable dangers lurking around on the landscape.
Mr. Blewu added that in fact, only internal vigilance and collective public discuss and understanding, devoid of political acrimony can get our governments and the people to be faithful and loyal to shaping a media landscape that uphold fairness to all citizens and is devoted to democracy and development.
Recent events on the media landscape of an iconic democracy as the United States have shown that no country must allow itself to get complacent concerning media development he added.
In a conversation with Emmanuel Dogdevi, Vice President of the African Editors Forum, he noted that his personal experience over the years reveals a troubling inconsistency. According to him, there was a period—even under military rule—when journalists were able to break stories that would be nearly impossible to publish under the current multiparty system.
He described the level of press freedom as fluctuating, rather than steadily improving. While Ghana’s democratic progress should have led to stronger media independence, he argued that this has not been fully realized. Despite the existence of the Right to Information Act, accessing information from state institutions remains a significant challenge, indicating that press freedom and media independence are not yet as deep-rooted as expected.
Francis Kokutse, a veteran journalist with over four decades of experience, observed that when Ghana marked its 69th independence anniversary, much of the conversation was driven by social media posts—a sharp departure from the past, when traditional media led national reportage.
He noted that this year’s online discussions were sparked by an incident in Lusaka, during a visit by His Excellency President John Mahama, where a social media user described the Fugu he wore as a blouse. This triggered widespread reactions, with many users criticising the comment, while others shared photos of themselves in Fugu to express their Ghanaian pride.
However, despite the surge in posts, clicks, and views, Kokutse pointed out that much of the content lacked depth and relevance. He contrasted this with earlier times, when traditional media would have produced in-depth reports, features, and opinion pieces to commemorate such an important occasion—offering meaningful insights and reflections.
According to him, the fleeting nature of social media discourages thoughtful contributions, making it less likely for individuals to share well-considered perspectives on national issues. While acknowledging the growing influence of social media in everyday life, he cautioned that it is gradually undermining serious intellectual discourse.
Patrick, a freelance journalist with over two decades of experience in journalism practice, noted that the profession has made significant progress over the years. He observed that journalism has evolved considerably, with new areas of practice emerging.
He recalled a time when journalists lived in fear—even of their own colleagues—worried that they could be reported to authorities. The risks associated with the profession made it unattractive, as many feared for their lives.
However, he emphasized that some courageous senior journalists stood up to challenge the system, with some even going to jail in the process. Their sacrifices, he said, must be celebrated and remembered, have helped shape the media landscape into what it is today.
According to Patrick, while much progress has been made, it is crucial to safeguard and protect the press freedom that currently exists.
Michelle, a content creator, noted that although he is young, the time has come for the media to reflect on its journey—where it started and how far it has come. He stressed the need to evaluate what must be changed, amended, or adapted to keep pace with emerging trends and safeguard the industry’s progress. He warned that if care is not taken, some recent practices could erode these gains and potentially set the media back to square one. The media is doimg well and must be recommended.
In the years ahead, the Ghanaian media must not only preserve its watchdog role but also adapt to emerging challenges in the digital age, ensuring that it remains a credible and trusted pillar of the nation’s democracy.
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