'Be sensitive in reporting on electoral violence' - UNDP urges media

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Wednesday, called on the media to be sensitive when reporting on issues related to electoral violence, as Ghana prepares for Election 2020.

This, it is expected, will promote, deepen and consolidate national peace and social cohesion.

It said journalists and media practitioners in the country could do good to the nation if they used their pens and airwaves to highlight on conflict prevention.

Mrs Melody Azinim, Peace and Governance Analyst at the UNDP, who made the call, said even though Ghana is recognised as a peaceful nation, issues on election violence could easily trigger and disturb the prevailing peace in the nation.

She was addressing the opening session of a knowledge management on conflict-sensitive reporting and peacebuilding workshop for media practitioners in Kumasi.

Mrs Azinim said peace and security remains a critical component and a prerequisite tool that would facilitate an accelerated national development programme.

Insecurity, she said, has no political colour and advised the media to guard against articles and reports that have the potential to trigger violence.

Attended by senior journalists and editors drawn from the various regions in the country, the workshop was organised by the UNDP and the Ghana Center for Democratic Governance (CDD-Ghana), and facilitated by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA).

It is in line with a consultative platform initiated by the CDD and the UNDP aimed at promoting dialogue and building consensus on national policy response to systemic governance issues.

Mr Mawusi Dumenu, Research Analyst at the CDD-Ghana, said the platform sought to build and strengthen partnerships with civil society organisations, media, government and the private sector.

“This is geared towards developing pragmatic interventions to deal with critical issues to promote peace, stability and good governance in the country”, he said.

Mr Kojo Impraim, a Research and Development Consultant, said the media plays a critical role in nation-building and practitioners must be supported to upgrade their knowledge to enhance the social and cultural interactions of the society.

Mr Kingsley E. Hope, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the GJA, said issues of armed robbery, kidnapping, and political party vigilantism threatens national security and stability and called for concerted and decisive measures to deal with such national challenges.