Albert Kwabena Dwumfour
The Ghana Journalists Association will in next year, 2024 be involved in hosting three major events, such as the 3rd African Media Convention in Accra, the celebration of the 75th birthday of the GJA, and the coverage of the general elections.
The GJA President, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, announced this at the 27th GJA Media Awards held on Sunday at the Accra International Conference Center, on the theme, “Leveraging media freedom to sustain the democratic and security architecture! The litmus test of election 2024”.
He explained that ‘’Next year, Ghana will host the biggest gathering of players in the media industry in Africa from May 2024, after the GJA had secured the hosting rights for Ghana last May. More than 1,000 participants, including practitioners, partners, and policymakers in the media industry in Africa and beyond, will converge to deliberate on matters relative to media freedom and accountability”.
He noted that ‘’There is no doubt that this event will put Ghana in the global limelight and bring enormous economic benefits to the country. The African Union is the major sponsor of this event’’.
He added that the GJA will turn 75 which is an important milestone that must be celebrated in grand style. Over time, the National Executive, in consultation with the National Council, past leaders of the GJA, senior colleagues, and key partners, will announce plans to celebrate this milestone.
“But even before then, I can assure you that we shall endeavor to make the celebration of this momentous occasion national by taking some of the programmes and activities to the regions’’.
On Election 2024, he said as Ghana goes to the polls next year in what promises to be an uncompromising contest, the character of the media as an enabler for the expression of divergent views and dissenting opinions, and platforms to deepen democracy, will be robustly tested.
‘’The internal contests in the two major political parties are clear indications that next year’s general elections may compromise the integrity of the country’s democracy and security. But we believe the media can play a critical role in stilling the storm and steering the nation away from any calamity the elections may pose’’, he added.
-BY Daniel Bampoe