You are here: HomeNews2018 02 22Article 628280

General News of Thursday, 22 February 2018

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

We need more investigative journalists to aid corruption fight – Professor

Professor Audrey Gadzekpo Professor Audrey Gadzekpo

Dean of the School of Communication Studies at the University of Ghana has admonished journalists to push beyond the face of the profession to relevantly foster the achievement of results in their line of work.

Professor Audrey Gadzekpo speaking at a public lecture organized by the Komla Dumor Memorial Foundation noted that the media, in a democratic country, should not only position itself as a watchdog holding corrupt public officials accountable to their actions but pursue with no fear or favour to clamp down on the canker.

She bemoaned that there is a pertinent need for journalists to focus their radar on the other sectors of the economy arguing that they also collectively serve as drivers who also need spotlight checks.

“Often time, people see the media’s watch dog function as just scrutinizing government and how the public purse is used. Of course holding political and public officials accountable is crucial but it bears reminding that in a democracy other sectors of society from business to traditional authorities to non-governmental organisations must also be held accountable.”



Citing the 2016 Corruption Perception Index in which Ghana ranked 70 out of 176 countries, Prof. Gadzekpo held that the position which represents 43% from the previous 47% in 2015 raises an alarming concern at the level of which corruption is fast taking over the nation.

She stressed that the growing mistrust among the general public therefore calls for more but good investigative journalists to come on deck to join the fight to filter the conception of Ghanaians to bring sanity.

“There’s a general perception amongst Ghanaians, perhaps a consensus that corruption is on the rise and that we must fight against it,” she said.

“And that’s where good investigative journalism becomes very important. We need good investigative journalism not only to fight corruption but also to expose the structural and systemic conditions that encourage and that undermine our development.”

She also outlined a number of positive results that can yield from good investigative researches citing renowned Ghanaian investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ numerous interventions that has led naming, shaming and jailing of corrupt officials in our society.

“Here as in elsewhere, investigative journalism outcomes have been known to trigger change has led to the resignation and firing of public officials as we saw happen in the case of the judiciary here in Ghana. It can lead to the prosecution of corrupt individuals which I think doesn’t happen enough in this country. It leads to policy enactment and reversals and most importantly it can enhance the watchdog role of the media,” she expressed.