By Godwill Arthur-Mensah
Accra, May 17, GNA-President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has underscored the need for the African media to take a proactive role in educating the public on climate change issues, especially among the youth, to promote environmental sustainability.
He said it was imperative for the media to mobilise the people towards collective action, drive innovation and promote sustainable environmental practices on the continent.
President Akufo-Addo made the call during the closing ceremony of the Third African Media Convention (AMC) in Accra on Friday.
The President said the freedom of the media was fundamental to the growth and development of any democratic society, therefore it was crucial for the media to uphold not just accuracy, but also integrity and ethical standards that respected the dignity of all individuals.
The three-day Convention is on the theme: “The African Media We Want: Enhancing Freedom, Innovation, and Environmental Sustainability in a Dynamic Media Landscape”.
The event brought together about 2,000 participants across the continent, including policymakers, Ministers of State, academia, researchers, and media practitioners.
The AMC is an annual conference providing a platform to reflect on the fundamental role of journalism on the continent, celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom and deliberate on measures to safeguard media freedoms.
The inaugural Convention took place in Arusha, Tanzania in 2022, followed by a successful second gathering in Lusaka, Zambia in 2023.
The forum also focuses on the promotion of access to information, the safety of journalists and media viability in the African Union Member States.
It is being organised by UNESCO Addis Ababa Liaison Office to AU and UNECA, the African Union, hosted by the Ministry of Information, the Ghana Journalists Association, and various media partners.
The stakeholders would collaborate to develop action plans and advocate policies that foster a free, vibrant, and impactful press across the continent.
The President highlighted some legislations and interventions that helped to promote press freedom in Ghana, including the repeal of the criminal libel law in January 2001 and the enactment of the Right to Information Act in 2019.
Those interventions, he explained, had made a positive impact on the development of Ghanaian media, freeing it from unnecessary self-censorship and promoting critical media culture in the country.
It had also contributed to the growth of a vibrant media, and significantly helped to deepen the country’s democracy, he added.
To enhance public accountability as a strategic goal in public policy, the President said, his government enacted the Right to Information Act, as a major step in deepening the country’s democratic agenda, providing the citizens with essential content, and ensuring accountable governance.
The impact of media freedom, he noted, had improved the quality of projects, and fostered a culture of transparency.
In that vein, he said, Ghanaians were able to freely interrogate the government’s actions, policies, and programmes.
“The Ghanaian media is ranked as one of the top countries in the Global Press Freedom Index.
Today, the media stands at the crossroads of present challenges and opportunities.
“As we navigate the complexities of evolving, the media’s role becomes even more useful, not just as a guardian, but as a catalyst for sustainable development and innovation,” the President observed.
President Akufo-Addo said the freedom of the media was fundamental to the growth and development of any democratic society in Africa.
However, he said that freedom should not merely be the ability to speak or write freely, but also the power to inform and mobilise society for a common goal.
Therefore, it was crucial for the media to uphold not just accuracy, but also integrity and ethical standards that respect the dignity of all individuals.
GNA