GJA 70th Anniversary Launch

70TH ANNIVERSARY LAUNCH OF THE GHANA JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF JOURNALISTS

Seventy years in the life of an Individual, Institution or Organisation is worth celebrating. It allows for stock taking, introspection and charting a new way forward. That is why the 70th Anniversary launch of the Ghana Journalists Association, GJA is needed remarkable. The Association as the umbrella organisation to which all journalists in the country belong has indeed made a mark on Ghanaian democracy. It was just recently that the country lost its place as the best in Press Freedom in Africa. In 2018 Ghana hosted world Press Freedom Day for the first time since its declaration in Windhoek, Namibia in 1991. The existence of a free media in Ghana is not in doubt as media personnel have operated in the country without hindrance. It is only in recent times that few miscalculated acts of indiscretion against journalists by some political zealots have brought to the fore the allusion that journalists in the country are under siege.

Ghana’s former President John Agyekum Kufour in his speech at the Anniversary launch indeed made sense when he urged the media fraternity not to use their pens or airwaves as tools and weapons to mislead, intimidate, defame, castigate, disrespect and even blackmail others. To the former President, media freedom is no license to operate without any limitations. President Kufour is on record to have repealed the criminal libel and seditious laws in 2001. It is therefore within his remit to caution journalists against irresponsible practice.

Indeed, an empowered and responsible media is the bedrock to realising freedom and justice. Good journalism is to tell the truth and give the people accurate facts put in a meaningful context. It enjoins professional discipline and balancing the story for people to make their judgement. As President Kufour aptly put it, none, including the media is above the law. This makes it imperative for us as journalists to operate within the ethics of our profession. These are, Truth and Accuracy, Independence, Fairness and Impartiality, Humanity and Accountability. It is said, He who comes to equity must come with clean hands. We cannot demand fairness from the powers that be if we ourselves are not fair. We must say it like it is, no matter whose OX is gored. Impartiality must be our guiding principle. What is good for the goose is equally good for the gander.

As the GJA marks its 70th Anniversary, it is important for the Association to redefine what has now become known as undercover journalism. It must also wage a campaign against the poor remuneration of its members. The situation where journalists at some media houses work eternally as casual workers must be out lawed. It is good the Association in collaboration with Kempiski Hotel intends to establish a hall of fame to honour journalists who have worked hard towards the development of the country. We pay glowing tribute to journalists like Mrs. Gifty Afenyi Dadzie, Nana Kweku DeiNee, Ransford Tetteh, Former Editor of the Daily Graphic, late Edward Ameyiba, Adjoa Yeboah Afari and others for their mentorship roles in bringing the GJA this far. We applaud efforts by the GJA to help re-position two key state institutions, the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation and the Ghana News Agency to operate optimally. Journalists in Ghana have come of age as critical watchdogs of society locally and internationally. It therefore behoves practitioners to be responsible in the pursuit of the rule of law and good governance. We say Ayekoo to all journalists and congratulate the Ghana Journalists Association for spear heading the fight for media pluralism.

BY: JUSTICE MINGLE — A JOURNALIST.