Journalists must distinguish between personal and professional interests

Mr Moses Asampoa, Senior State Attorney at the Attorney General’s Department, Volta Region has reminded Journalists about the need to abide by the code of ethics of the profession to promote peace before, during and after the December general election.

He said it was important for journalists to strive for truth and fairness and be guided by common good of society not to cause irreparable damage to individuals or groups, and possibly, throw the entire country into flames through their reportage.

He said such unfortunate situations could only be avoided if journalists distinguished between their personal beliefs and interests and that of the profession.

Mr Asampoa said this when he and two other persons were inaugurated as members of the Ethics and Disciplinary Committee of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) in the Volta/Oti Region.

“The role played by journalists is so crucial that the success of elections largely depends on how professional the kind of reportage they produce is," he said.

Mr Asampoa cited an example in the legal profession and referenced a case involving a judge who put aside his personal beliefs in a matter brought before him, passed judgement and later went home to weep, and said that was a good case of putting the profession first before personal beliefs and interests.

The Senior Attorney warned media practitioners in the region to exhibit high ethical standards to avoid appearing before the Committee for disciplinary actions.

Other members of the Ethics and Disciplinary Committee were Reverend Mrs Ruby Amable and Mr Sepenyo Dzokoto, both, veteran journalists.