By Emmanuel Gamson
Takoradi, July 23, GNA – The Western Regional Chapter of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has launched a project to help empower the electorate to demand good governance and development in their communities.
The project, dubbed: “The Western Region Manifesto Project” would be implemented under the theme: “Harnessing Digital Journalism for Informed Political Dialogue and Manifesto Scrutiny”.
The 10-month initiative is being supported by the Canada Funds for Local Initiatives (CFLI).
Mr Desmond Cudjoe, the Western Regional GJA Chairman, speaking at the launch said the overarching objective of the project was to amplify the voices of the electorate on critical issues that mattered to their developmental needs at the community level.
He said: “Through this project, the GJA-Western Region will facilitate the capacity building of electorates in influencing political party manifestos, while holding duty bearers, particularly elected parliamentarians and government to account.”
According to him, the project’s implementation modalities would include capacity building for journalists across the region on election monitoring and reporting, fact-checking, security and safety mechanisms, and organizing town hall meetings for electorate.
Others would be generating verifiable and factual publications and reports on political promises/pledges and holding radio dialogues on topical issues in the region.
“With this project, the GJA-Western Region will deploy a universal reporting platform and community discussion
“Board to ignite conversations on electoral and developmental issues peculiar to each constituency and the Region,” Mr Cudjoe stated.
He expressed the hope that the project would empower the electorate and residents to demand accountability from political leadership to help bring the much-desired development to the Western Region.
GNA