Accra, June 15 GNA – The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) have asked media practitioners to participate in the first ever Citizens’ Convention and give it the needed publicity.
The Ghana Compact Citizens’ Convention would bring together more than 500 Ghanaians representing key stakeholder groups, including political leaders, government agencies, civil society organizations, women and youth groups.
Other participants would be professional associations, private sector groups and university students where there would be a dialogue and a national consensus on the country’s challenges and critical issues.
A statement signed by Mr Kofi Yeboah, GJA General Secretary, and Madam Gloria Hiadzi, Executive Secretary, GIBA, said: “GJA and GIBA believe the initiative has the potential to secure Ghana’s economic and political transformation, and thus, deserves the maximum attention of the media.”
Under the auspices of the Ghana Compact, the event is scheduled to take place from June 18 to 19, and from 0900hours to 1730hours at the Cedi Conference Centre, Department of Economics, University of Ghana, Legon, the Statement said. The Ghana Compact, which is the brainchild of Dr K. Y. Amoako, Founder of the African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET), was launched in December 2022 by a coalition of major policy institutes and civil society organisations in Ghana.
The Compact has garnered the support of prominent Ghanaians, media partners, youth leaders and heads of key public and private institutions.
The initiative will address some of Ghana’s most pressing transformation challenges, including constitutional reforms, national development planning, youth, education and skills, gender equality, private sector development, health, and climate change.
“It intends to increase democratic accountability, deepen political discourse, address political polarization, and engage citizens in addressing these critical challenges underpinned by values such as loyalty, honesty and integrity,” the Statement said.
Over the past two years, ACET and its partner policy institutes have undertaken numerous studies on the above issues and held several consultations with experts and opinion makers towards a consensus on the policies and actions to tackle the challenges.
In collaboration with the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE), citizens’ engagements at the district level also took place between March and May 2024 to obtain the views of ordinary Ghanaians on the critical issues confronting Ghana’s political and economic transformation.
The engagements covered six regions and a broad cross-section of Ghanaians online.
The Compact will hold two key events (the first being the Legon Convention) to form the foundation for a more issues-based election season and future governance based on mutual accountability and a collective vision for the future.
The participants at the Legon Convention would pull on the analysis provided by the Ghana Compact partners and the feedback from fellow citizens to debate and adopt a Compact Declaration to serve as a working “Social Contract” between the citizens of Ghana and their government, irrespective of the political party in power.
GNA