Future of many Ghanaian journalists at stake – Information Minister

The future of many Ghanaian journalists is at stake given the poor economic conditions and welfare they are confronted with, Mr Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, Minister of Information, has lamented.

“There are many of our brothers and sisters who at the end of the month do not get salary.

“There are many who do not even get their statutory payments made on their behalf by their employers. If we do not deal with it, our own very future is at stake,” he said.

Mr Oppong-Nkrumah was addressing the second annual dinner night of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), in Accra.

Referring to the 2023 World Press Freedom Index, the Information Minister pointed out that the single item that dragged Ghana down the most, bordered on the poor conditions of service for Ghanaian journalists.

“There are many who do not have their necessary pension deductions made and paid in the Pensions Fund for them,” he stated.

This, he said, did not augur well for the future of those journalists, especially “when they are no longer in active service.”

Mr Oppong-Nkrumah assured that the Ministry of Information would continue to liaise with the GJA and other stakeholders to empower journalists for efficiency in their work.

Therefore, the media capacity enhancement programme will be sustained in order to build a vibrant media space.

The Minister said the Ministry of information was working in partnership with the National Media Commission (NMC) and GJA to discipline media houses which were not complying with the ethics of the profession.

The move is to sanitise the media space in order to promote professionalism.

Mr Albert Dwumfour, the GJA President, lauded the KGL Group for its support for the activities of the Association, saying the leadership was grateful for its assistance.

He assured that the Association would not relent in protecting journalists in the line of duty, urging them to uphold the code of ethics of the profession.