Member of Parliament for Assin South Constituency, John Ntim Fordjour said “Any attack on the journalists by any political party is condemnable and regrettable”.
Speaking on Accra based television station TV3’s morning show, Newday hosted by Johnnie Hughes, he said the Joy News journalist has been brutalized because the former president wants to become a president.
He further said, “Mahama should have turned in that security detail by now”.
Background of the story
Joy News reporter, Parker Wilson was assaulted in the line of duty by a member of the security detail of Ex – President John Mahama on 29 Oct, 2018.
He was allegedly slapped by the security detail whose identity is yet to be made known. Parker had bruises on part of his face swollen and his right eye teary with pain.
According to Wilson, he was with the former president when he was campaigning at the Pentecost University as part of his five-day tour of the Greater Accra Region.
After speaking to the students, it was announced that the ex-president was going to meet authorities of the University.
On hearing the announcement Wilson Parker said he went to cover the Ex-President’s meeting with the University’s authorities but one of the security detail protecting the ex-president will not allow him and his camera man access claiming journalists were not invited.
Parker said he tried to explain to the security officer that he was with the ex-president and has been covering all his activities but that did not go down well with the security detail.
“You are challenging my authority” Wilson quoted the security detail as saying.
“He started pushing me” Parker said, before he (officer) unleashed a hefty slap, he added.
“I went blank and fell” he said adding, ‘as I speak to you my right eye is teary”.
A statement issued and signed by spokesperson for the ex-president, James Agyenim Boateng shortly after the incident has apologised to Parker Wilson and said the issue us being investigated.