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| Hon. Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah |
The Member of Parliament for Ho-West, Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah has announced a training program for Journalists and Media Practitioners in the Volta region in order to enhance their knowledge and skills in the profession.
According to him, the media which is the fourth estate plays a pivotal role in educating and informing the citizenry, hence the need for capacity-building programs to enhance their professionalism.
Mr. Bedzrah, who was addressing journalists and media practitioners at a soiree hosted by him over the weekend, tasked the regional leadership of the Ghnana Journalists Association to come out with schedule for the training, expected to come off by the end of first quarter 2015.
He also hinted of an award scheme to honour hard working journalists and media practitioners at the next press soiree and charged practitioners to be development oriented in their reportage.
The Deputy Volta Regional Minister, Francis Ganyaglo who chaired the function, commended the media for their support to the regional administration in 2014 and urged them to do more in promoting the numerous tourism potentials of the region to the world.
He however urged local radio stations to fair and balance in their reportage, stating that citizens have the right to accurate and adequate information from the media, and entreated presenters to do in thorough research into issues before putting them into the public domain.
On his part, the Acting Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Anthony Bells Kafui Kanyi bemoaned the proliferation of Unaccredited Media training Schools in region which are extorting monies from unsuspecting individuals and urged the security agencies to clamp them down.
He also asked owners of media houses; especially private radio stations to engage professionals to run their outfits, saying “the engagement of non-professionals in the media landscape is becoming a headache.” He further entreated media houses to adequately remunerate their staff to enable have a decent living.
Present at the ceremony were the Members of Parliament for Ho Central and Adaklu constituencies, Benjamin Kpodo and Kwame Agbodza as well as Ludwig Hlordze, immediate past National Youth Organizer of NDC, who all pledged their supports towards the training program and award scheme.
