Chinese Embassy equips Ghana News Agency to deliver effectively

The Chinese Embassy, on Thursday, donated digital equipment valued at GH¢50,000.00 to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) with a call on the media to endeavour to tell the holistic and accurate picture about China.

Mr Shi Ting Wang, the Chinese Ambassador who made the call, said, a reputable news provider such as the GNA, could help in that cause by disseminating accurate, balanced, credible and objective news, with speed, to correct the stereotyped negative image of China usually portrayed in the international media.

The items are 13 HP Desktop Computers, a Cannon Photocopier Machine, two Huawei notebooks, two Huawei media pads, five HP Laser Printers and 12 Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) appliances.

Ambassador Wang explained that GNA would need the requisite resources to continue to be the source of true news, thus, it was important for China to contribute to the good cause of the Agency, which also fostered national development and unity.

Ambassador Wang said it was unfortunate that the Chinese were always portrayed as bad in some sections of the Ghanaian media and on social media.

However, he said, his Government, was very sincere and committed to supporting African countries, including Ghana, to transform their fortunes and the wellbeing of their people through mutual agreements.

“There is the need for more people to know and understand the Chinese,” he emphasised. “More accurate and objective stories have to be told about China by the people who know and understand China.”

He also expressed concern about the negative symbols and objects used to represent China in some of the media outlets, saying it was unfair.

“Let our people and your people better understand each other, and by so doing, others would understand the Chinese,” he added.

He said the Government of China did not condone illegality and so citizens who fell foul of the law were duly made to face the rule of law.

Mr Kwaku Osei Bonsu, the Acting General Manager of GNA, said the Agency was on the path to regaining its leadership and momentum in news gathering and dissemination even though it was being impeded by the lack of enough logistics and finances.

The Agency, therefore, needed a radical improvement in its equipment and technology status to tell the African story to the rest of the world thus, the donation was timely, he said.

Mr Osei Bonsu said the GNA was most grateful for the gesture because it would inspire the staff to deliver their best.

He said the Agency was a very good friend of, not only of China, but the Chinese Embassy in Accra.

It also had a news exchange programme with the Xinhua News Agency, while some staff had benefitted from the capacity building programmes in China over the years.

The GNA had also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Xinhua News Agency under the Belt and Road Economic Information Partnership, which involves the exchange of information, among other products, among them and their partners.

China is the second largest economy in the world and was the first country to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

The country has made significant investments in Ghana’s infrastructure and service sectors.

During the recent State Visit of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to China, President Xi Jinping, stressed that he was prepared to work with his Ghanaian counterpart to ensure that relations between Ghana and China took the lead on the African continent.

According to President Xi, the “deep historic bond” between China and Ghana, nurtured by leaders such as Mao Zedong, Kwame Nkrumah and others, had resulted in “a 58-year old tradition of friendship”.