Ghana Journalist Association Asked To Monitor Journalists

Sekondi,(Western Region) 10 Oct. Paapa Owusu Ankomah, Member of Parliament for Sekondi, yesterday called on the executive of the Ghana Journalists' Association (GJA) to start discussions with interest groups to draw up a programme to monitor journalistic standards. Paapa Ankomah who is also the Minority Spokesman on Communications, said the programme should embrace non-professional media practitioners whose conduct are often called into question. He was speaking at a one-day seminar on GJA code of ethics for journalists in the Western Region at Sekondi. The seminar which was jointly organised by the GJA and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, was under the theme ''enforcing the GJA code of ethics''. Paapa Ankomah said the GJA will encounter difficulties in monitoring standards as any attempt may be misinterpreted as infringement on the individual's rights to free expression as guaranteed in the 1992 constitution. He said experience has shown that professional standards are best monitored and controlled by professional associations as there is less likelihood of arbitrariness and unfairness in the exercise of such power. He hoped the seminar would inculcate in journalists the need to continually strive to maintain the highest professional standards. He said if a journalist fails in maintaining professional standards, he fails not rpt not only his profession but the society he serves. Mr Yaw Boadu Ayeboafoh, GJA Vice-President, urged journalists to guard against misinformation. He called on journalists to be bold to tell the truth to protect national interest and promote free expression. He advised them against accepting financial inducement to give favourable coverage as this corrupts them, subverts the free expression of truth and tarnishes their self-respect. Mr G. K. Nyanney, Western Regional Chairman of the GJA, asked the association to ensure that all future media establishments recruit their reporters through the regional secretariat. This is to ensure that only qualified reporters, particularly trained Journalists with good morals, are employed by the media. Mr Kwasi Afriyie Badu, Programme Coordinator of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, said the foundation would like to see a change in the work of journalists and the observance of the code of ethics. Mr John Nyankomah, Regional Manager of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, presided.