The President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Albert Dwumfour has reiterated that journalists must adhere to their primary mandate of focusing on development and always prioritize issues that affect society and, by extension, national development.
Speaking at the Excellence Awards Night of the Ashanti Regional Branch of the GJA at Rattary Park last Saturday, Mr. Dwumfour said the media plays an important role in the nation’s development adding “Through advocacy and by transforming the knowledge, skills, and techniques of the people, the media also plays a vital role in raising awareness, mobilizing people, and making development participatory in our democratic dispensation”
The event was under the theme, “Recognizing the Media as Partners in National Development,”
“In many instances, Mr. Chairman, our watchdog role has saved the nation millions of cedis and lives by bringing to light the wrongs and ills of society. By so doing, Journalists have brought issues such as corruption, misappropriation, injustice, gender inequality, and the ‘almighty’ galamsey to the forefront of public discussion.
“There can never be development without the media; the media continues to be the backbone or fulcrum around which development occurs.
“This lends credence to the notion that, as journalists, we must adhere to our primary mandate of focusing on development and always prioritize issues that affect society and, by extension, national development,” Mr Dwumfour added.
Mr. Dwumfour assured the Ashanti Regional GJA had been integrated into all of the activities and programs of the national organization, “including exchange programs, capacity-building workshops, seminars, scholarships, the Journalists Support Fund, and so on.”
“Importantly, Mr. Chairman, I would like to state that the GJA is currently in discussions with our corporate partners regarding how Ashanti GJA can acquire its regional press center in accordance with my campaign promise to ensure that each reach has a Press Center. This is to ensure that Ashanti Regional GJA receives an equitable portion of the GJA national cake,” Mr Dwumfour assured.