Government lauds media's contribution to nation building

The Government, congratulating the media for their contribution towards national building and democratic rule, pledged to implement measures to help build the capacities of practitioners and ensure their safety.

In a statement to mark World Press Freedom Day on Friday, it announced that the protection of media practitioners would witness a boost with the introduction of a Coordinating Mechanism on the Safety of Journalists before July. The Government was also in the process of implementing a Media Capacity Enhancement Programme (MCEP) to build the capacity of media practitioners in the delivery of their mandate, it said.

Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Minister of Information, signed the statement, issued in Accra and copied to the Ghana News Agency. "The Government of Ghana reiterates its commitment to supporting measures that deepen the frontiers of free expression in the advancement of our democracy,” the statement said.

This year’s international celebration is being marked in the Ethiopian Capital of Addis Ababa, on the theme: “Media for Democracy, Journalism and Elections in Times of Disinformation”.

The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) in collaboration with the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) on Thursday held a forum on the Safety of Journalists, as prelude for the celebration. At the event, Mr Ronald Affail Monney, the GJA President, reiterated the need for the security agencies to take punitive action against security personnel and persons who attack journalists to halt the culture of impunity against media practitioners. The GJA is marking the day with a forum at the Ghana International Press Centre.