Prof. Audrey Gadzekpo
THE SCHOOL of Information and Communication Studies, University of Ghana (UG) has launched a book on conflict reporting in the West African sub-region.
Titled: “Conflict-Sensitive Coverage: A Manual for Journalists Reporting Conflicts in West Africa,” the book seeks to guard journalists on reporting conflict situations, especially those that borders on ethnic, religious and political identities.
The 57-pages Manual with chapters such as ‘The Role of Media in Conflict And Peace-Building; Media Coverage on Gender During Conflict And Peace Building’, was edited by Prof. Audrey Gadzekpo, Dean of the School of Information and Communication Studies, UG.
It is an outcome from a two-day regional training workshop on “Improving Media Coverage of Conflict and Peace Building in West Africa.”
The said workshop was organized in 2016 by the School of Communications in collaboration with the Legon Centre for International Affairs and Diplomacy (LECIAD), and with support from the African Peace-building Network (APN).
Speaking at the launch of the manual, Minister of Information, Mustapha Hamid, urged journalists in the sub-region to be cautious when reporting on conflict issues.
He explained that there were many identities in Ghana in the form of religious, ethnicity and political, other than the Ghanaian identity, and that could be a source of conflict which the media ought to deal with cautiously.
In his opinion, journalism if not well guarded, can be what he described as a destructive force.
He urged journalism schools to introduce courses in conflict reporting.
Deputy Commissioner of the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE), Kathleen Addy who reviewed the manual, said it covers a wide range of issues when it comes to reporting from conflict perspective.
The Chief Director of Ministry of Interior, Adelaide Kumi, in a remark urged journalists to pay serious attention to the rising cases of ‘mob injustice’ in Ghana.
The programme was chaired by Adjoa Yeboah-Afari, Member of the Management Board, School of Information and Communication Studies.
BY Melvin Tarlue