We need to ensure responsible journalism in the country

Accra, Oct. 28, GNA - Papa Owusu Ankoma, Minister of Education, Science and Sports on Saturday said conscientious efforts were needed to ensure responsible journalism in the wake of the repeal of the Criminal Libel Law.

He said there were still a few shortfalls in media practice despite its assumption of unprecedented dimension after the repeal of the Law. Papa Owusu Ankoma made the call in a speech read on his behalf by Mr Pethuel Danyo Acting Director In-Charge of Tertiary Education, at the sixth matriculation of Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) in Accra. He assured the Institute and the nation that now the Ministry had assumed oversight responsibility from Ministry of Information and National Orientation, it would not relent on its obligation to ensure that quality knowledge and skills were acquired at the Institute to serve the purpose of journalism.

Papa Owusu Ankoma however, reminded the matriculating students to be mindful of their indebtedness to the ordinary taxpayer who made it possible for them to be enrolled and be serious with their studies to avoid unfavourable judgment by posterity.

The Institute admitted 38 students for Level 100 and five students for Level 200 for the Bachelor of Arts in Communications Studies. With Diploma in Communication Studies programme, it admitted 91 students for the morning session and 141 students for the evening session.

Papa Owusu Ankoma said one of the major benefits of the change in the supervision of the Institute to the Ministry was an opportunity to access the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFUND) to develop physical infrastructure to enhance teaching and learning.

Professor Cliff Tagoe, Vice Chancellor of University of Ghana, underscored the relevance of open communication to good and sustainable societal relationship.

He said effective communication to sustain the nation's fragile democracy needed minds that were ready to go beyond what was already known.

Prof Tagoe said: 93Where the issue is on political communication, the professional must be well grounded in that area and demonstrate a high level of intellectual superiority.=94

=93It is expected that the person would offer timeless directions as to how society must be governed and therefore lead to the deepening and sustenance of democracy in our society.=94

He urged the students to avoid acts of indiscipline, violence, the practice of occultism, peddling and use of narcotic drugs. Mr Kweku Rockson, Acting Director of the Institute said it was still constrained in terms of space, which had affected its ability to admit more students.

He was optimistic that the Institute would soon move to its new site to reduce the pressure on the present facilities. Mr Rockson announced that the Institute would soon launch its website, and the campus newspaper had been christened 93The Communicator=94.

Mr Paul Effah, Executive Secretary of National Council for Tertiary Education said the Institute had to enact statutes to define details of the provisions of the Act establishing the Institute. He said in addition to scholarship and professionalism, the Institute had to pursue entrepreneurship and intensify its revenue generating capabilities to generate additional funds to meet its demands.

=93GIJ would h ave to step up its research activities by publishing in 91top defining journals to remain a viable partner within the international academic community,=94 Mr Effah said. Mr Samuel Longman Attakuma, Acting Registrar of the Institute administered the Matriculation Oath in which the fresh students pledged to abide by the rules of the Institute, recognize the headship, study diligently and promote the good of the Institute and the University of Ghana, to which the Institute is affiliated. 28 Oct. 06