Be fair and firm in investigative reporting - Blewu

Accra, Sept. 10, GNA - Mr Bright Blewu, General Secretary of Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), has advised journalists to be fair and firm in investigative journalism to ensure that they publish credible and accurate information.

He said investigative journalism, meant to eliminate corruption to shape society, involves a lot of hazards because it deals with sensitive issues exposes some prominent individuals.

However, he stressed: 93You need to avoid allegations and speculations when dealing with issues on corruption."

Mr Blewu gave the advice when addressing the opening session of a two-day capacity building workshop on Skills Development for Effective Investigative Journalism on Transparency and Accountability in Accra, on Friday.

The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) organised the workshop with funding from Star-Ghana for selected media personnel interested in investigative reporting.

Mr Blewu said Ghanaian journalists had come a long way in serving the public with the needed information and advised them to be more responsible in their reportage so that peace and unity would continue to prevail in the country.

"If we want our journalism to strengthen, it is very important to embark on a thorough and vigorous investigative journalism so as to come out with credible information," he emphasised.

Mr Blewu said the objective of reporting on corruption was to ensure probity, accountability and transparency and stressed the need for journalists to be fair themselves and guard against all temptations to achieve their aim.

He said GJA was pleased to be associated with GACC and gave the assurance that it would continue to partner the coalition to achieve the needed results in investigative reporting.

Madam Florence Dennis, Executive Secretary of GACC, said her outfit was interested in anti-corruption journalism, therefore, the coalition would continue to sponsor the best investigative journalist of the year at the GJA Awards Ceremony.

She advised journalists to cultivate the interest in investigative reporting as a way of contributing their quota towards transforming and ridding the society of corruption.