NMC urges journalists to be responsible in reportage

The Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC), Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh, has urged journalists to discharge their professional duties with a sense of responsibility.

He said when the media did not perform its obligations well, it endangered society, adding, “The media should be sensitive, particularly in conflict reporting, to safeguard the peace in the country”.

Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh was speaking at the inauguration of a nine-member Upper East Regional Media Advisory Committee in Bolgatanga.

The event was supported by the Ministry of Finance (MoF).

Members

The committee is chaired by Robert Ajene, a retired educationist. Others are Bob Tatar, a lawyer; Rt. Rev Dennis D. Tongo, Anglican Bishop of Tamale; Alfred Ndago, also a retired educationist, and Pascal Ayarik, a businessman.

The rest are Dr Helen Akolgo-Azupogo, a lecturer; Clement Minyila, Navrongo Health Research Centre; Ellen Gandaa, a PRO, and Godfred Polkuu, a journalist.

The committee is mandated to collaborate with the media and key stakeholders on how to protect journalists, combat disinformation and secure safe, free and responsible media practice, especially during this year’s electioneering.

Avoiding errors

Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh further advised journalists to take care in the presentation of news stories in order to avoid mistakes, saying, “if you make mistakes all the time as a media person, it will be associated with you always.”

He said if a journalist was well-known for repeating mistakes, the day he or she would make a genuine mistake, it would be very difficult for such a person to be forgiven, and, therefore, said it was essential for journalists to pay attention to details since they were carriers of information to the public.

The chairman also encouraged journalists to cooperate and appreciate the sacrifices of members of the advisory committee so that there would be fewer infractions but more positive outcomes in their work.

He was happy that the committee was made up of distinguished individuals and personalities with the capacity to deal with any infraction when it came up before it degenerated, adding, “Undoubtedly, the committee can only be effective if it receives the needed support from journalists”.

Fund-raising

The Executive Secretary of the NMC, George Sarpong, said going forward, the commission would work with the committees which were being established in the various regions to begin fund-raising activities to support activities in their respective regions.

He said many organisations were beneficiaries of the peace being championed by the advisory committees in the regions, so “let us build the needed synergy that will enable us to raise funds to support the work of the advisory committees.

Assurance

Mr Ajene, on behalf of the committee, expressed appreciation for the confidence reposed in them and gave the assurance that they would work to ensure sanity in the media space to create the needed peace for people to go about their normal duties.

He advised journalists to avoid personal interest in their work since that would make it difficult for them to be fair in the dissemination of information to the general public.