GJA President lauds his predecessors

Mr Roland Affail Monney, the President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has acknowledged the role his predecessors played in shaping the Association into a Union of international repute.

Mr Monney, who gave the commendation at the launch of the 70th Anniversary Celebration of the GJA in Accra, said: "We duly acknowledge the inestimable roles played by T B Ottie, Ben Dorkenoo, Frasser Ofori-Atta, Martin Therson-Cofie, Sam Arthur, Kwame Gyewu Kyem, Edwin Tengey and Edward Ameyibor all of whom belonged to the Old Testament of the GJA."

"In the New Testament, two leaders stand incredibly tall- Kabral Blay Amihere and Gifty Affenyi- Dadzie. General Secretary Emeritus Bright Kwame Blewu, as well as former presidents Ajoa Yeboah Afari and or Ransford Tetteh (also known as Nana Kweku Dei), also deserve commendation," he added.

The Anniversary, which was formally launched by former President John Agyekum Kufuor, is on the theme: “Democracy, freedom and independence of the media in Ghana: 70 years of GJA’s contribution.”

Since the establishment of the GJA, on August 15, 1949, it has played a very significant role in the political discourse and socio-economic development of the country.

Mr Monney said: "The road over the past 70 years has never been straight. We experienced a curve of persecution perpetrated by brutish military regimes and a loop of frustration inflicted by heartless media enemies. But through the engine of perseverance, the steel of heart and the hand of God on the early leaders of the journalists association we have come this far."

Mr Monney lauded former President Kufuor for the outstanding role he played during his tenure of office in promoting media freedom in the country.

He praised him for repealing the notorious laws which criminalised free speech and liberalising the space that shackled media freedom.

He recounted that under former President Kufuor, the media irrefutably earned their distinctive honour in the democratic governance structure; declaring that “all this makes him a President to celebrate, a democrat to appreciate and a model to emulate”.

Mr Monney said at 70, the GJA was evidently mature but not demonstrably old to learn some useful lessons that would turn the Association towards the future.

He said one blatant lesson was that press freedom means more than the absence of state repression.

He said the Platinum Anniversary presents an auspicious occasion for journalists of all political stripes and all professional backgrounds to see themselves as one, marshall their forces and synergise their efforts to defend press freedom not with lies and guns, but with truth and diligence to the core principles which underpin the profession.

Mr Money said the public expected journalists to serve them better; saying “So we dare not fail”.

He said in response to this challenge, a series of anniversary programmes would be unfolded, designed to put the Ghanaian media on the path of professional ascendancy.

These include a Media Summit, which would bring together experts to reflect on the state of the profession, diagnose its ills, assess its strengths and point to the way forward.

There would also be special forums on how to reposition two key state institutions- Ghana Broadcasting Corporation and Ghana News Agency to operate optimally in the turbulent media space.

Mr Monney said a prominent feature of the Anniversary would be the establishment of a Hall of Fame for outstanding Ghanaian journalists.

Others activities are health screening for journalists at their work places, health walk and fun games involving the Ghana Armed Forces and Ghana Police Service as well Christian and Muslim worship.

He noted that the climax would be GJA Awards Night on 23rd November, 2019.