By Regina Benneh
Accra, May 22, GNA-Mr George -Ramsey Benamba, Chief Editor of the Ghana News Agency (GNA), has emphasised the importance of journalists training for responsible reporting in all aspects of their duties.
Speaking on the topic, “The Media’s Role and Credible Election” at the third African Media Convention, he noted that the media played a critical role in society and contributed to the peace of the nation.
Ghana would go to the polls on December 7, 2024, for its ninth election, which would be another test of the country’s democracy.
Mr Benamba stressed that for the media to cover elections effectively, their capacity needed to be built on modern steps of reporting to empower to sensitize citizens about pending issues in the country.
He announced that some media houses, including the Ghana News Agency, had started training their reporters towards the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections and advised reporters not to rely on hearsay but to research for accurate and balanced information before putting it in the public domain.
Mr Benamba urged journalists to understand that there could be no development without peace and warned against putting out negative stories that could incite the public, especially during elections.
He said the media’s role in influencing peace was critical and could not be overstated and urged journalists to be transparent and fact-check all information before publication to prevent violence and sustain peace.
He encouraged journalists to produce accurate fact-check reports to ensure the safety of the people.
Mr Dominic Hlordzi, Deputy Secretary of GBC Political Broadcast and Complaint Committee urged the media to follow the ethics of the profession in their reportage, saying “The media is ready and fully prepared for the 2024 elections.”
He mentioned that reporters were sometimes attacked and had their gadgets confiscated by some supporters of political parties and entreated journalists to be more responsible and professional in their duties and not allow themselves to be influenced by any political party.
The convention was an opportunity for journalists to share knowledge, exchange ideas, safeguard media freedoms, and promote excellence in journalism in Africa.
Madam Nicole Kigamba told the GNA in an interview after the session that she was very pleased with the organization of the program and the topics discussed were very relevant.
She wished the days of the next convention would be extended for more days to enable further topics to be discussed since journalists have a key role to play in changing the narratives of Africa.
GNA