Executive Director, Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Sulemana Braimah, has called for prioritization of budget allocation for the media, which will promote capacity building of media organisations in order to uphold the highest standards of professionalism.
Mr. Braimah, in acknowledging the contribution of the Ghanaian media towards deepening the country’s democracy, noted that making such investments will to a large extent, bring the media under one umbrella to promote transparency and accountability.
Mr. Braimah, was speaking at a sensitization, on ‘Conflict Sensitive Reporting and Against Hate Speech,’ for selected Ghanaian Language Speaking Media houses, at Aburi in the Eastern Region.
He encouraged Ghanaian media houses to consider working collaboratively during national assignments such as elections.
This he said ”would check unhealthy competitions among media houses which have the propensity to derail efforts at maintaining peace especially during elections”.
Mr. Sulemana pointed out that in Sierra Leone, for instance, thirty-four media houses came together to broadcast the same news during that country’s election, and ”in Nigeria, thirty-two media houses initiated a fact checking collaboration”.
He noted that Ghana’s democracy has become a reference point to other countries not necessarily because of good politicians, but ”the supporting role played by the media”.
Mr. Sulemana asked the media to ensure peace is maintained, as the country heads to the polls by ensuring that content churned out is of benefit to citizens, and promotes good governance that propels development.
The programme saw the training of some selected journalists from Ghanaian Language speaking media houses, Political Commentators and Social Media Influencers.
It was organised by the Ghana Journalists Association in collaboration with the National Media Commission, and supported by STAR Ghana Foundation, with funding from UK aid and the EU.
Story By: Rachel Kakraba
