The Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has indicated that the media capacity training for journalists is being provided by independent group of industry stakeholders.
According to the Information Minister some institutions worked together to set up an independent working group that is collaborating to enhance the capacity of Ghanaian journalists to ensure they deliver on their mandate and not solely government.
“The National Media Commission (NMC), Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), Private Newspaper Publishers Association (PRINPAG), Institute of Professional Studies (IPS), Communication Educators, Association of Ghana Civil Society Groups in Media and selected leading journalists and media houses.”
Kojo Oppong Nkrumah
Kojo Oppong Nkrumah noted that the needs assessment, curriculum development and the administration of training is all being done by the independent group of industry stakeholders.
The Information Minister revealed that government’s commitment is to provide scholarship for 250 beneficiaries who will be selected by the committee to participate in the programme for the year 2022.
Kojo Oppong Nkrumah further appreciated the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, for gracing and hosting the opening ceremony of the programme. He assured that government will continue to do more to support the Ghanaian journalist.
This follows the questioning of decision by the government to organize capacity enhancement programme for journalists by some analysts.
Government Shouldn’t Be Organizers
Prior to this, the Deputy National Youth Oragniser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Edem Agbana, insinuated that government being the organizer of the capacity enhancement programme has the propensity of compromising the journalists who are supposed to be neutral.
Questioning the decision by the government of Ghana to organize capacity enhancement programme for journalists, he averred that the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) should have been the main organizers of such an event and not the government.
“The government should not be the organizer of this event.”
Edem Agbana
He admonished the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) to take up the issue of welfare of journalists seriously.
“The Ghana Journalists Association must sit-up on the issues of welfare of journalists. We need to have a whole conversation about the welfare of journalists.”
Edem Agbana
Commenting on the issue also, Communications Director of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), George Ayisi, asserted that there was nothing wrong with the government organizing the programme.
“The government is supporting all institutions to thrive and the media is part so that is ok. That cannot take people from their jobs.”
George Ayisi
George Ayisi, however, agreed with Edem Agbana on the point that another body could have organised this programme.
“It would have been ideal if GJA had done it or the National Media Commission (NMC).”
George Ayisi
The National Media Capacity Enhancement programme, a programme designed by the government through the Ministry of Information to provide training for some 250 journalists annually across the country was launched in Kumasi yesterday, January 10, 2022.
This event was graced by the Asantehene as the guest speaker for the official opening of the maiden programme at the Manhyia Palace.
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