By Anthony Adongo Apubeo
Accra, May 28, GNA – Mr Roland Affail Monney, former President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has asked the media to amplify voices against environmental destruction and proffer solutions to the impact of climate change.
He said Ghana continued to lose huge sums of money annually to bad environmental practices such as indiscriminate felling of trees, increasing activities of illegal and littering of the environment among others and underscored the destined roles of Journalists to addressing the situation while ensuring environmental sustainability.
“Given the devastating impact of climate change and the fact that whenever the rains pour, the sad spectacle and destruction of roads and property, are examples that reinforce the fact that Ghana as a nation is on the brink of environmental disaster,” he said.
Mr Monney was speaking at the second edition of Inclusive and Anti-Conflict Journalism Awards in Ghana held in Accra, organised by Media Platform on Environment and Climate Change (MPEC) Ghana in collaboration with Minority Rights Group Africa (MRGA) with funding from the European Union.
Six journalists were honoured with Mr Mohammed Fugu of the Daily Graphic emerging as Overall Best Reporter for the second year running after emerging winner in the Print Category ahead of his colleague Mr Timothy Ngnenbe of the same Daily Graphic who secured the runner up position.
On the Online/Wire Service category, Mr Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen of Apexnewsgh emerged winner while Mr Anthony Adongo Apubeo of the Ghana News Agency won the runner up position.
On the television category, Mr Emmanuel Bright Quaicoe of Joynews came first while Ms Monalisa Frimpong of the same Joynews came second.
The former GJA President noted that journalists particularly environmental journalists had the responsibility to proffer solutions to enable vulnerable communities adapt to the impact of climate change and innovate measures to ensure environmental sustainability.
“Again, you have responsibility imposed by destiny to ensure that this generation does not set us and generations yet to come to extinction,” he added.
Mrs Mary Kudom-Agyemang, Executive Director, MPEC, said the awards scheme which was instituted last year was part of its strategic plan to incentivise journalists to amplify voices around environment, climate change, conflict and minority groups.
She said so far more than 50 journalists and 20 activists have been trained and exposed to champion issues of conflicts, environment, climate change, migration and minority exclusion in Ghana.
“It is also to improve media coverage narratives of not only the negatives but also the positive stories,” she added.
Mr Kofi Yeboah, General Secretary of the GJA, said journalists had significant role to play in educating the people and that also required continuous learning to be abreast with the issues to lead the advocacy better.
He said journalists needed to also highlight climate adaptation measures that would inform policy direction and ensure that communities emulated same especially in the era of climate change instead of always focusing on the negatives.
GNA