Journalists in Volta and Oti Regions have benefited from a workshop organized by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and the United States Embassy in Ghana.
The workshop formed part of a nine-month project aimed at promoting peaceful media platforms ahead of the 2024 elections. It also served as a platform for learning and information sharing among journalists.
The US Embassy-funded project will empower journalists and related agencies, such as political parties and security services, to contribute to violence-free and credible polls across the country.
In an address read by the General Secretary of the GJA, Kofi Yeboah, on behalf of the President of the Ghana Journalists Association, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, gratitude was expressed to the U.S. Embassy Ghana for their continuous support of the media fraternity.
Mr. Dwumfour acknowledged the pivotal role of the media as the fourth estate in the upcoming elections and safeguarding the country’s democracy.
The GJA president described the project as one that will equip Ghanaian journalists to uphold the journalistic tenets of Press Freedom and freedom of expression while promoting professionalism.
The training, include conflict management, accurate reporting, fact-checking, peace-sensitive reporting, and election coverage, will enable journalists to produce self-initiated projects, such as news reports and impactful stories, towards credible elections.
Emmanuel Agbaxode, Chairman for GJA Volta/Oti, mentioned in his address that the training will afford practitioners in the region the opportunity to focus on fostering peaceful election discourse.
Mr. Agbaxode noted that Ghana boasts a commendable record in holding and managing elections but added that there is always room for improvement to enhance contributions to national stability and development.
“In the evolving media landscape, your roles as watchdogs, educators, informers, and advocates for what is right are more critical than ever. With the influx of social media, we must navigate the challenges it presents, using these platforms responsibly to uphold the integrity of our profession” he said.
He urged all media practitioners to leverage communication channels for positive impact and not succumb to normalizing media abuse but champion the right use of media freedom, making misuse unattractive, awkward, and taboo.
Rebecca Ekpe, the Public Relations Officer of GJA and the Project Lead stated that the project will offer journalists the opportunity to contribute to violence-free and credible polls in Ghana before, during, and after the elections in 2024.
According to the Project Lead, journalists and on-air personalities, especially from local language-speaking stations, will be identified and trained to engage in peaceful discourse that will help GJA promote long-term learning for media practitioners, upholding freedom of expression and credible polls. It will also encourage the sharing of information among journalists and election-related entities to better inform the work of the Electoral Commission of Ghana.
The training workshop is the first in a series since its launch in Accra and is expected to be carried out around the country.
Source: Daniel Orlando
