By Rachel Kakraba
Some alumni of United States Exchange Programmes say the experience has been transformative for their professional lives, strengthened their leadership as well as broadened their perspective on issues.
According to them, the programmes are carefully designed to help beneficiaries build confidence, improve their communication skills as well as develop a stronger commitment to contributing to national development. They were speaking during a freedom 250 series organised by the US Embassy Ghana, as part of activities to mark the 250th anniversary of America.
The session, which focused on how US Exchange Programmes are shaping journalism, brought together seasoned Ghanaian journalists who are beneficiaries of such exchange programmes for experience sharing.
In a welcome address, Acting Public Affairs Officer Public Diplomacy, Mathew Asada, reflected the bond between Ghana and America which has been further strengthened by such programmes. He commended Ghana for continuously upholding its democratic credentials.
“One of the important things that binds both of our nations together is our democratic way of being, but also the importance of freedom of speech. Free speech is so essential for American and Ghanaian society.”
He said discussions focus on the changing media landscape and the role of both public and private media organisations and the need to protect freedom of expression.
“It’s concerning when someone comes in and says you can’t say something, or when we have a media platform or a social media platform limiting or moderating content”
Panel members
The session was moderated by Madam Doreen Ampofo, a chief editor at the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, GBC, which is Ghana’s public service broadcaster. Doreen is a Hubert H. Humphrey fellow.
Panelists included Mr. Cecil Nii Obodai Wentum, who is a multidisciplinary communications and project management professional with more than 27 years of progressive experience in broadcast journalism, media, communication, and education. Mr. Obodai Wentum, a former employee of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation GBC, was for decades host of the corporation’s radio morning show programme. He is a 2012 International Visitor Leadership Programme, IVLP alumnus.
Mr. Umaru Sanda Amadu is a broadcast journalist on Citi FM and ChannelOne TV conglomerate. He anchors news bulletins including Eyewitness News on radio and CitiNewsroom on TV. Umaru is also an International Visitor Leadership Programme, IVLP Alumnus.
Also on the panel was Alfred Ocansey, a renowned Ghanaian journalist and media personality, who works with Media General. Alfred is a Mandela Washington Fellow.
Experience sharing
Setting the tone for some reflections, Mr. Obodai Wentum, said the opportunity has shaped his perception about public service broadcasting.
“There’s something that I came home with, that journalism is not just a title, it’s public service. And once you’re doing public service, you owe the public a duty to be responsive, and responsibility lies on you to be sure and to check accuracy, don’t sacrifice accuracy for speed”
He said he also learnt much about tolerance, which is key to programme hosting.
“The IVLP programme positions you to come home and be a multiplier so that you can teach people to appreciate that”
Another International Visitor Leadership Programme, IVLP alumnus, Mr. Umaru Sanda Amadu, said his selection for the programme came as an unexpected recognition of his work, which is a reminder that excellence can open doors in unexpected ways, encouraging others to give their best in whatever they do.
“When I was selected to do the IVLP, I didn’t apply for it. Someone was watching my work somewhere and thought I was doing a great job and decided to come for me. In whatever you do, do it the best way you can, and it would give you the results that you may not even have anticipated”
He said many former participants returned to their home countries and rose to become influential leaders. This, he said, gives him renewed confidence that he is on a similar path.
“They told us that most of the people they brought on the IVLP programme returned to their countries and became leaders, some became presidents, so it means that I’m on the path”
He said although he has received some awards over the years, one of the most rewarding aspects of the experience is the difference his work makes on the ordinary citizen. From the local koko seller who knows him by name to the vulcanizer who takes time to commend his efforts, these simple encounters, he says, remind him that his work is making a difference beyond formal platforms and institutions.
Mr. Amadu said the opportunity has been impactful and hoped more of such opportunities would be made available to benefit more journalists.
“They’ve trained some people and they have seen positive results, it means that they should do a few more of these, because clearly we have been able to tell the story, we have grown, we have learnt and I think they should give more people the opportunity to do the same”
Madam Doreen Ampofo, reflecting on the impact of the Humphrey fellowship, said the experience has transformed her approaches to news reporting, shifting the focus from simply producing a conventional story to digging deeper for the facts and perspectives that may not be immediately visible.
“After the fellowship, I returned with a different perspective. I didn’t just see a story as any usual story. You want to check, just go behind what everybody else is doing, and that gives you a complete story”
She added, “You do not just sit in the classroom and learn, for the Humphrey fellowship, you are given leadership training. You are made to read and understand who you are and what you can do with the skills and knowledge that you have had.”
Madam Ampofo said the programme also opened her up to networking opportunities which has transformed into lifelong relations.
“My Humphrey experience was amazing, it was empowering, and it was enlightening. I’m particularly happy about the fact that I got the opportunity to meet people who impacted my life so well, to connect with some amazing people to the extent that they are family now.”
She called for stronger engagement among Humphrey Fellows, beyond the broader U.S. Exchange Program alumni network, to strengthen connections and sustain the impact of the programme.
“I hope that for those who benefited from the Humphrey Fellowship, we can connect more, motivate and help others to also benefit from such fellowships.”
Highlighting his experience as a Mandela Fellow, Mr. Alfred Ocansey, said although selection to the Mandela fellowship is very competitive, it focuses on impact, encouraging prospective applicants to be intentional with telling stories that challenge the status quo.
“It’s a competitive process, but it’s also one that looks out for what you have done. If you’re talking about, for instance, street children, how did your story impact the lives of children on the streets?
He explained that as part of the programme, fellows were attached to the American Broadcasting Corporation, ABC, which is America’s public service media as well as other private media organizations for hands-on learning. These relationship, he said, have been sustained beyond the fellowship period.
“Every year, we grant at least five interviews on some of their programmes. They call us and we share our views on the issues that they’re talking about. They’re very heavy on elections so for instance, in 2024, I provided reports for them during the elections. They give some sort of allowances to appreciate you for the work that you’re doing”
Mr. Ocansey said one of the key issues that came up was the evolution of technology which has transformed how journalists gather and verify information.
“In terms of learning, one of the things that they were very concerned about is how we source our news. So they taught us how to sift through the sources to ensure that what you’re putting out is accurate”
He added that a key lesson for journalists is the need to critically examine the sources of information used in reporting. He noted that although Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, and academia remain important sources, caution must be exercised in accepting their views as unquestionable facts.
He explained that CSOs, for instance, often depend on funding from development partners and other organisations to implement their programmes, which can sometimes influence the perspectives and positions they advance on issues.
“After Mandela Washington Fellowship, I was armed with the tools to be intellectually disciplined”
He encouraged journalists to take advantage of some of these opportunities that the US government offers.
“We had the opportunity to travel to as many as eight states in the US to interact with journalists and broadcasters to give us different perspectives of what they do, how they do what they do, and how that can also influence our work as journalists on the continent, and specifically Ghana”
Mr. Ocansey, appealed for increased funding for the expansion of the exchange programmes to benefit more Ghanaians.
“I would appeal to the US government to make more money available to the embassy so that they can also expand the opportunity in terms of the numbers, the people that they can take to the US to experience some of these things that we talk about”
Conclusion
The session was yet another opportunity for participants, particularly journalism students to have a one on one interaction with the seasoned media practitioners.
As the alumni reflected on the opportunities gained, they remained hopeful that more people will have access to such programmes and use the experience to create meaningful change in their communities and Ghana as a whole.
