Deputy Minister cautions journalists

Accra, June 26, GNA - Mr Osei Bonsu Amoah, Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Sports has cautioned sports journalists against making inaccurate reporting and to endeavour to be professional in their reportage.

He said sports journalists must be abreast with the rules and regulations of various the sports disciplines to enable them efficiently deliver the intended message to their target audience.

Mr Amoah made this remarks in a speech delivered on his behalf by Dr Emmanuel Owusu Ansah, a Director at the Ministry on Tuesday during the opening of a two-day seminar organised by the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG).

He said that with Ninth All Africa Games scheduled for Algiers almost at hand, it was appropriate and in the right direction for SWAG organise such an educational seminar to refresh and equip media practitioners with the rules, technicalities and lexicon of the various disciplines that the nation would be participating in. "This is a refreshing news to the Ministry since lack of adequate knowledge of the rules of a particular sport often leads to inaccurate and speculative reporting."

The Deputy Minister bemoaned rife reports in certain quarters that the All Africa Games Hockey competition will be held in Kenya even though the event there is unrelated to the Algiers Games.

Mr Amoah said the information being peddled were not true explaining that the competition in Kenya was only a qualifier for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and not the All Africa Games. The Deputy Minister who is also the Chairman of the African Union Commission of Sports Ministers commended SWAG for the initiative which is aimed at updating the knowledge of its members in the 'dynamic field of sport'.

Mr Ackah Anthony, President of SWAG advised the participants drawn from both the private and state media to take the seminar seriously to achieve its targeted goals.

"We have an enormous responsibility and it is important that we gird our loins and face the challenges that abound in sports journalism."

Mr Anthony commended Stanbic Ghana Limited for sponsoring the event, which he described as one of their pre-election promises. About 100 journalists drawn from the print and electronic media are taking part in the two-day sports reporters seminar, intended to update the knowledge base of journalists on the various disciplines the nation would be competing at the 9th All Africa Games scheduled for Algiers next month.

Participants would discuss topics such as reporting Athletics, Amateur Boxing, Volleyball, Handball, Table Tennis, Tennis, Judo, Tae-Kwondo, Weightlifting and soccer among others. 26 June 07