The Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) on Saturday November 16, 2013 held the 7th mammoth congregation on the forecourt of the institute to award students who successfully passed out with Diploma in Communication studies and students who successfully passed out with B.A. in Communication studies.
GIJ was established by the former president Dr Kwame Nkrumah to train journalists to play an effective role in the emancipation of African continent.
It was officially opened on October 16, 1959 by the then Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Mr. Kofi Baako. It was initially a department of Accra Technical Institute, now Accra Polytechnic and was called the school of Journalism.
After the 1966 change of government, the school moved to the present location which used to house the Ghana Press Club with the name the Ghana Institute of Journalism.
The event was graced by the chief of staff of the Office of the Presidency, Hon. Prosper Douglas Bani on the theme. “Communication a vehicle for national stability and peaceful development”.
The Rector of the Institute, Mr. David Newton, described the event as significant and historic while delivering his report.
Saturday’s congregation marked the first batch of degree holders since the presidential charter in 2009. He further stated that the Institute is now accredited to undertake four post graduate programs in Journalism, Public Relation, Medical Management and Development in Communication.
He seized the occasion to congratulate efforts made by the Lebanese Embassy for awarding seven students with scholarships.
He, therefore, urged the graduates to uphold and exercise the journalistic ethics devoid of partisan politics, personal attack and acrimony.
On his part, the Chief of Staff, Mr Prosper Douglas Bani, also congratulated the graduates and urged them to uphold the high ethical standards in their practice.
“Journalism breach of oath is more dangerous than a doctor’s hypocritical oath “, he noted.
He appealed to the various media houses to motivate their workers to be more professional in discharging their duties rather than "chasing after soli” to wit bribes.
