Ghana among media friendly countries in Africa - Tetteh

Accra, Sept. 16, GNA - Ghana and three other countries have been judged as the most media friendly on the African Continent by the Freedom Forum in the United States of America, Mr Ransford Tetteh, President of the Ghana Journalist Association, said on Sunday.

He mentioned the other countries as Mali, Namibia and South Africa and said God had been good to journalist in Ghana despite the few challenges.

Mr Tetteh was speaking at the second annual media thanksgiving service by the Ghana Journalist Association in Accra.

The service was instituted last year as a way of seeking God's guidance and protection for journalists in the country. The GJA President said that the media had a responsibility to spread good news and sometimes bad news with the hope that people would change for the better.

"We preach bad news with the hope that national leaders will be truthful to us so that we can progress as a country." Mr Tetteh noted that next year would be more challenging

for journalist because of the elections and urged practitioners

to respect the code of the profession. The Reverend Isaac Clive Mould, Missions Director, Christian

Action Faith Ministries, urged the media to be open-minded

since communication was very important. "The media must practice in truth, decency and must show

accountability, leadership and competencies. Be truthful and

do not be afraid of men in the course of your work," he

advised. He led the congregation to pray for the executives of the

GJA. Reverend Stephen Wengam, Administrator of the Assemblies

of God Church, commended the GJA for instituting the annual

thanksgiving service and urged the media not to malign one

another. Reverend Emmanuel Agyei, Head Pastor of the Assemblies

of God, Ring Way Gospel Centre, advised media practitioners

not to take things for granted but to continuously thank God

for his love and protection. He urged the media to pray for God's protection even more

as the country approached the 2008 elections.