How Journalism Shapes Ghana’s Security Discourse through the Work of Lily Mohammed

Today in Ghana, security is no more discussed behind the doors of state institutions. They play out on the screens, radios and cyber platforms where journalists interpret between powerful people and everybody else. Leading this float is the sprightly presenter of GHOne TV and Starr FM, Lily Mohammed whose steady voice has become a touchstone whenever security collides with accountability.

Lilys capacity is in the way she poses security issues to ordinary folks.” On GHOne Newsroom, for instance, she has prompted discussion about how misinformation and propaganda put the stability of Ghana at risk and brought attention to statements from the National Security Ministry. To viewers, these moments are more than just one more news bulletin; they are lessons in how unseen forces like disinformation campaigns or unchecked narratives can unravel a country. Making the complicated comprehensible, she gives her audience tools to think about security not as an affair at a remove but one that affects their everyday lives.

But Mohammed isn’t satisfied with just all of the headlines. Her journalism frequently charts uncomfortable territory, and the use of “national security” as a political shield is no exception. When reporters are harassed or dissenters silenced behind the slogan of protecting the state, Lily is not afraid to ask whether this really is about keeping Aussies safe, or is it’s a convenient way of controlling criticism. In doing so, she makes the audience grapple with a harsh fact: security without accountability can just as easily metastasize into insecurity in disguise.

She also loves dialogue in her programs. Whether for a government representative, security expert or civil society activist, Mohammed makes room for all views to be expressed. This equilibrium makes her platform not just broadcast but also the kind of forum in which national anxiety collides with expertise and citizen voice. The discussions she moderates serve as a reminder to Ghanaians that security is not just the responsibility of people in uniform; it is a shared duty.

Yet covering security is never simple. Secrets are closely held, and the danger of offending official sensitivities is all too real. In a country where security agencies wield power and criticism can invite retaliation, the stubbornness of Lily Mohammed is a certain kind of courage. She keeps asking the questions that need to be, even when responses are tardy or incomplete. That same courage is exactly what makes her voice credible and her journalism effective.

In broader terms, Mohammed’s contribution is another example of a simple but potent idea: that security does not just come in the form of weapons or patrols or spy networks. It’s also a matter of trust, transparency and the free exchange of information. Without journalists like her holding to account victories, and failures, the public would never know about decisions that determine whether they are safe.

Lily Mohammed is evidence that journalists also play an active role in security. It is a civic defence but by informing, questioning and amplifying, she strengthens the very kind of democracy underpinning the peace upon which Ghana depends. In her broadcasts, the nation sees the issues around security but also the opportunities of accountability. And in her steady voice, citizens are finding a reminder that vigilance is not always wrapped in a uniform sometimes it’s holding the microphone.