The Minister-designate for Information, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, yesterday told the Appointments Committee of Parliament that the ministry, under his watch, would introduce a new Media Capacity Enhancement Programme to build the capacity of journalists and improve professionalism in the media front.
He said there was the urgent need for professional knowledge of journalists to be upgraded in this technological era, and that the ministry would collaborate with the National Media Commission (NMC), Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association and other stakeholders to help identify areas where the capacity of journalists could be improved to boost professionalism.
During about three hours of grilling by members of Appointments Committee, the Information Minister-designate said he would ensure that the enabling environment is created for journalists to operate freely.
He reiterated government’s support for media practitioners to work effectively as the Fourth Estate of the Realm.
“We can assist journalists with scholarships to improve upon their professional competence,” he said, stressing that having worked in the media industry previously, he understands the importance of routinely building capacity of media practitioners.
He stated that in addition to that the National Media Commission (NMC), which is to ensure high standard of professionalism, would be well resourced to do effective monitoring of the various media houses.
He, however, expressed concern about the inaccurate reportage or misreporting by some journalists which eventually impugns the reputation of many innocent public officials and also tends to put journalism in the bad light.
The Information Minister-designate disclosed that when he was a broadcast journalist, he never allowed his affiliation to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to cloud his decision since he was fair, objective and balanced in his work.
Mr. Oppong-Nkrumah revealed that with the emergence of social media and the propensity to cause panic and chaos through the spread of false or fake news on the social media, there is the need to enact the Media Cyber Security Act, just like in Kenya, to punish people who spread falsehood on social media.
He said he would fully support such legislation to regulate the social media and stop the spread of falsehood on the social media.
He mentioned that state-owned media houses like the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and the Ghana News Agency (GNA) would be re-tooled and properly resourced to be able to perform their roles effectively in the media industry, stressing that President Akufo-Addo had already set up a committee to advise him on the restructuring of GBC.
The Minister-designate answered several questions from the Minority Chief Whip, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, and the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, on some of his contributions to debates on budget statements presented to parliament by the current Akufo-Addo administration.
Gender Minister
The Minister-designate for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Cynthia Morrison, who also appeared before the Appointments Committee, spent just about 40 minutes before the committee with just about 10 questions posed to her.
When asked about the payment of arrears of school feeding caterers, Ms Morrison assured the committee that almost all the arrears of caterers of School Feeding programme had been paid by the government, and that by Monday the remaining ones would be paid.
She said she would ensure the timely release of funds to caterers to cook for children in the schools.
She also promised to expand the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme to cover more poor people in society, adding that the ministry would also roll out a programme to take good care of the aged in the society.
She revealed that men should also be given paternity leave to help their wives who give birth.
The Regional Minister-designate for the Brong Ahafo region, Evans Opoku Bobie, said if given the nod, he would collaborate with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to improve the production of poultry and cashew in the region.
According to him, President Akufo-Addo recently inaugurated a new Cashew Board at Wenchi to increase cashew production in the Brong Ahafo Region.
He added that poultry farmers would be provided with soft loans to be able to expand their poultry farms.
He assured the committee that he would impress on the Minister of Roads and Highways to rehabilitate most of the bad roads in the region, which is hampering socio-economic development of the region.
The next batch of ministers will be vetted on Monday.
By Thomas Fosu Jnr