NCCE urges media to link environmental governance issues to national discourse

Kathleen Addy, Deputy Chairman, Finance and Administration of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has called on the media should find ways to link issues of environmental governance to the national discourse.

“The environment is one such thing, which covers a lot of things. Apart from galamsey, there is deforestation which is extremely important because it has dire consequences for water bodies, the felling of trees, waste disposal, diminishing of our parks and gardens and diminishing green states of our cities”, she said.

The media should write stories in these for the people to have a deep sense of understanding of issues relating to environmental governance, she said

Ms. Addy addressing journalists during a one-day Media Advocacy Workshop for some 23 selected media personnel from the Middle Zone of the country, in Kumasi.

The workshop aimed at sharpening the media skills on reportage on issues on anti-corruption laws and environmental governance and seeks to strengthen the Rule of Law and good environmental practices in Ghana was organised by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in partnership with the European Union (EU).

She said the current innovative and exciting industrialisation drive for One District, One Factory (1D1F) should lead to a clear strategy for the management of industrial waste to ensure it does not end up in our water bodies to reduce the threat of pollution.

“Under the Planting for Food and Jobs programme, we could talk about the environmental aspect, the practice of organic farming which is more sustainable, healthy for the environment, human body and foods grown.”

Ms. Addy said the workshop would empower the media to be able to execute their mandate adding that “the media is critical and having a media that is weak and not independent, we will have a problem in this country.

“This is because leadership needs checks and balances and there must be a media to ensure that the checks and balances work to the effect that people have the best value for money.”

She said while the media expressed challenges in these difficult economic times and the impact it was having on media houses, the media needed to report beyond sensationalism and politics to things that affect people’s daily lives.

Mr. Samuel Asare Akuamoah, NCCE Deputy Chairman in-charge of Operations admonished journalists to carry out their mandates efficiently despite the financial challenges they were facing.

The workshop was on the theme; “Effective public education on Environmental Governance and Amendment of relevant Constitutional provisions in relation to Anti-Corruption Laws: The Role of the Media."

Mr. Wilson Raphael Arthur, Ashanti Regional Director of NCCE, urged journalists to use their pens as a tool for advocacy in the improvement of the environment and human life and longevity instead of destruction.

“Metaphorically, a pen can be used to destroy life and property, but that can only be done through malice. On the other hand, a pen, which now includes the keyboard of a computer or mobile phone, can be used to give information, educate people, and entertain them.”

He said corruption was rampant, environmental degradation on the ascendancy, institutions not performing as they should, while the Rule of Law was being shredded into tatters.

The Director said journalists should use their pen and voices to eradicate or ameliorate the decadence which had become an attitude in our lives adding that it is to prove that the pen is mightier than the sword.

Certificates were also presented to the participants.