GJA executives with participants in Wa
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has held a one-day dialogue on the media coverage of this year’s elections dubbed’ Media Convention 2020’ in Wa in the Upper West region.
This year’s Media Convention 2020 is on the theme:”The 2020 Election- Role of the Media in Promoting Civility and Discernment in the Political Discourse”.
The Media Convention 2020 is a US Embassy sponsored project being executed by the GJA including representatives of the Electoral Commission, political parties, security agencies and the media.
Mrs. Linda Asante Agyei , the Vice President of the GJA addressing participants said the purpose of the convention is to deliberate on matters concerning the principal role of the media in the conduct of free and fair elections in Ghana as well as provide media personnel the opportunity to interact with leaders , key stakeholders institutions in holding a credible elections come December 7,2020.
According to her, the convention will enable stakeholders to assist the media to inform and educate the public on free and fair elections and also champion the course of stability , dialogue, and fairness in the political discourse.
She indicated that the convention focused on the GJA guidelines and election reporting , its impacts, challenges and review as well as National Media Commissions media monitoring , complain settlement and causes and effects on attacks on journalists.
The GJA Vice President lauded the US Embassy for supporting the GJA all these years.
“ The first ever media convention was held in 2012 with the kind support of the US Embassy and they have been a faithful partner to us GJA in so many ways and we are most grateful to ambassador Stephanie S. Sullivan and her team and we are so grateful for the cordial relationship and we hope that this relations will continue to flourish.”
Mrs. Agyei said the collaboration between the GJA and the US Embassy in Ghana is an example of a partnership that has promoted stability in the coverage of election over the years and urged the media to oblige to reduce tension during election.
“ The media in Ghana since 1992 has played a significant role in ensuring success in all the seven elections that we have had so far and we have done that through electoral reporting. The Ghana media has professional, ethical, constitutional, moral and responsibilities to help defuse the tension in electioneering and also influence the electorates to make intelligent decisions at the polls.”
The GJA Vice President entreated journalists to focus on issue based coverage and discussions and endeavor to subject manifestos and programmes of the various political parties to proper analysis for the benefit of electorates.
“ As we get ready for December 7, the media must promote voter education and must serve to reach the minds of Ghanaians in building ourselves a better future.”
The Chairman of the National Media Commission, Lawyer Yaw Boadu Ayeboafo, took participants through GJA/NMC guidelines of election.
The Electoral Commission, Political parties , opinion leaders ,journalists, security agencies and civil society organizations who were present at the media convention 2020 pledged to ensure free and fair election during and after the December 7 general elections.
FROM Eric Kombat, Wa