By: Evans Attah Akangla| ignewss|Ho
The Ghana Journalist Association’s National Secretary, Mr. Kofi Yeboah, has commended journalists in the Volta region for their exceptional journalistic standards, positioning the region as a leader in the field and setting a commendable example for others to emulate.
This acknowledgment was made during his address at the inaugural workshop organized for selected journalists from the Volta and Oti regions.
The workshop, themed “Journalists for Peaceful Discourse,” was a collaborative effort between the Ghana Journalist Association and the US Embassy in Ghana, focused on fostering peaceful media discourse in anticipation of Ghana’s 2024 general election.
Participants at the one-day workshop were encouraged to contribute to promoting societal peace rather than becoming catalysts for instability, which could undermine the credibility of the upcoming election—widely regarded as pivotal for Ghana’s trajectory, largely influenced by media and reportage.
Mr. Yeboah emphasized the Volta region’s history of peace and urged the media to safeguard and further reinforce this peaceful nature.
The workshop also included sessions on fact-checking to improve participants’ delivery and confidence in the information they disseminate.
Mr. Fred Dodu, the Volta regional secretary, advised participants—especially radio show hosts—to verify their content thoroughly before dissemination.
Project lead, Madam Rebecca Ekpe, lauded the media’s positive efforts while urging them to continue promoting fair political discussions that reinforce existing peace and stability, emphasizing the importance of journalists being part of societal solutions rather than exacerbating problems that could escalate into violence during the 2024 election.
Representatives from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) pledged, during a panel discussion, to prioritize peace in their discourse, aiming to safeguard journalists’ lives and provide accurate information to the public, thereby preventing violence.
The NDC expressed concerns about the Electoral Commission’s fairness, while the NPP expressed confidence in the Commission’s ability to ensure a transparent 2024 general election.
The Electoral Commission’s Oti regional director, Mr. Nuhu Mahama, assured readiness for the local assembly and 2024 general elections, emphasizing their commitment to a free and fair electoral process within the framework of the country’s constitutional principles.
The workshop, initially launched nationally in Accra, began in the Volta region, with participants urged to undertake supervised projects, overseen by regional executives and submitted for further engagement at the national level.