By Mildred Siabi-Mensah
Takoradi, Nov. 27, GNA – Mrs Beatrice Asamani Savage, the Director of Editorial, Ghana News Agency (GNA), Wednesday reminded the Agency’s reporters of their roles in nation building and the need for positive reportage, particularly in the upcoming election to ensure credibility.
Quality information, devoid of inflammatory and divisive language, was critical to creating a well-informed society capable of making informed decisions to advance the cause of democracy, she said.
Mrs Asamani Savage was engaging journalists, stringers and volunteers of the GNA Western Regional Office at a workshop on Election Reporting.
She said the media space must provide programmes that entrenched cohesion of the Ghanaian society rather than breaking its fronts.
Electoral violence had resulted in instability and lack of development in many African countries, which made it imperative for Ghanaians to jealously guard the peace.
She urged the participants to avoid being complacent of the successes the nation had chalked in previous elections, adding that every election had its own dynamics, which must be prioritized by all stakeholders.
The Director of Editorial urged them to be professional in their line of duty and should not allow themselves to be influenced by politicians with tokens.
Mrs Justina Paaga, the Western Regional Manager, GNA, in her welcoming address, said the Agency attached much importance to training and skills acquisition to ensure that journalists produced quality reports.
She entreated the participants to carefully perform their roles in nation building and dispatch their duties in a more effective manner.
Mrs Paaga mentioned hot spots in the region to include Shama, Ellembelle, Wassa East, Essikado-Ketan and Amenfi Central and urged reporters to be careful when covering such areas.
She entreated them to prioritise their personal safety, adding: “You need to live to tell the story.”
She expressed gratitude to Management for the training and was hopeful that it would enable reporters to produce credible and interesting stories during and after the December 7 polls.
GNA