Ernest Kofi Owusu-Bempah Bonsu, Head of Corporate Communications for Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC) has appealed to media practitioners in the country to offer their unflinching support to the development of Ghana’s oil and gas sector.
According to him, without the media, information about the new sector will be difficult to reach the public hence the need to make issues in the oil and gas sector known through accurate and factual reporting.
“Let me safely emphasise that if the media’s impact will be relevant to the transformation of the industry, you will have to consider proper checks and balance, accurate and circumspect reportage (in terms of being truthful and presenting the facts).
“As the Head of Corporate Communications, I would like to emphasise that the role you (media) play is very significant to my success as a leader and the growth of the industry. You are the ears, eyes and mouthpiece of the people; and for our achievements and stories to be known or heard, depend on your effectiveness and efficiency.
“Ghanaians will not know the many Corporate Social Responsibility projects we have accomplished if we do not use your medium to tell our story,” Mr Owusu-Bempah made the passionate appeal when he interacted with a section of the media in Takoradi in the Western Region.
He noted that the oil and gas industry is a new area to most Ghanaians and for that matter, it is quite difficult to understand and appreciate the issues in the sector.
To support building the capacity of the media in this regard, Mr. Owusu Bempah said Ghana National Gas Company and Ghana Journalists Association have collaborated to establish a course purposely to serve the energy sector communication.
“This is a process and I believe we shall surely achieve this,” he explained.
“The leadership of the Ghana Journalists Association paid a courtesy call on the management of GNGC and at this meeting, Dr Ben K.D Asante, the CEO of Ghana Gas, demonstrating the company’s support for the media, announced that the company is ready to fund two journalists who are ready to take up a short course in any energy-related field,” he said.
By Vincent Kubi