The Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Sir Dr Sam Jonah, has urged Ghanaian journalists to defend the country’s democracy by speaking up on critical issues affecting the country’s governance system.
According to the statesman, media practitioners in Ghana should be the standard-bearers of objectivity, the architects of informed discourse, and the unyielding defenders of freedom and truth.
Delivering the keynote address to set the tone for the launch of the 75th Anniversary celebration of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) in Accra, Sam Jonah called on journalists to uphold the principles of good governance, justice, and accountability, stressing the importance of truth in shaping Ghana’s future.
“In this era, where the essence of our democracy and the fabric of our society are tested, let us recommit ourselves to the principles that Ephraim Amu so eloquently espoused. I implore you to be the standard-bearers of objectivity, the architects of informed discourse, and the unyielding defenders of freedom and truth. In this regard, all of us have to be concerned about some disturbing developments in our national discourse.”
“The perceived weaponization of state agencies against opponents, the creeping assault on freedom of the press, the perceived lack of trust in the dispensation of justice, and the pathetic lack of accountability in the protection of the public purse, this is the time for patriots to find their voices. This is the time to be courageous. We cannot and must not compromise on our defense of the national interest,” he said.
For Sir Sam Jonah, “the success of our attempt at a democratic order will depend crucially on how free the press is.”
The 75th anniversary of GJA is being celebrated on the theme: “75 years of excellence in journalism: Past, Present, and the Future.”