By: Ewoenam Kpodo/Rita Kafui Nedjoh | Voltaonlinegh |
The Chairman, National Media Commission (NMC), Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh has called on journalists to be circumspect in their line of duty and not turn the media into a tool of vendetta.
Mr. Boadu-Ayeboafoh emphasised the need for press freedom insisting, the media must not be restrained in any way while cautioning journalists against capitalising on that to abuse or ruin the reputation of individuals or institutions which would cause the public to lose confidence in the media.
According to him, “any journalist who sacrifices truth will lose credibility and will be found unreliable and without reliability, one cannot be an effective journalist.”
He underscored the importance of press freedom which he termed “a call for equitable development” and admonished media practitioners to be responsible and not misuse that freedom “extolled as one of the greatest bulwarks of liberty which is entrenched in the constitution of the world.”
The NMC Chairman made the call on Friday, June 21 in Ho, Volta Regiona where he commissioned the first ever regional press center, the Volta Press Centre.
Present at the event were the Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa and his deputy, Rev. Johnson Avulete, former Minister of State, Madam Elizabeth Ohene, National President, Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Dr. Roland Affail Monney, US Press Attaché, Naomi Mattos, D-G, Police Public Affairs and Communication, ACP David Eklu, Chairman, GJA- Eastern Chapter, Maxwell Kudekor, Mama Attratoh II, Queenmother of Ho-Dome, regional heads of departments, representatives of institutions and political parties among others.
GJA President, Dr. Roland Affail Monney commended the Volta Regional chapter of the Association for their efforts noting, “when it comes to organising media awards, building a press centre and attracting media training programmes for journalists, Volta GJA is at the top.”
Dr. Monney called on journalists to see the Centre as a place where they would come together to train, discuss and cross-pollinate ideas to shape and reshape media practitioners in the region in order to serve the intended purpose.
The Chairman, GJA-Volta chapter, A.B Kafui Kanyi thanked members, individuals and institutions for supporting the first phase of the project.
Mr. Kanyi said the Centre (which currently has an office, restaurant and a pavilion) would serve as a rallying point for all media practitioners in the Volta/Oti Region and would among other things offer accommodation to journalists visiting the region upon completion of the second phase.
Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com
