The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and the Military High Command, have agreed to strengthen the relationship between the media and the military.
This was made known by the GJA President, Mr Albert Kwabena Dwumfour at a press briefing when the Military High Command, led by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Ghana Armed Forces, Rear Admiral Seth Amoama, paid a courtesy call on the GJA at the International Press Centre on Thursday, November 30, 2023.
The visit was a fulfilment of a promise made by the Chief of Defense Staff when the GJA paid a courtesy call on the Military High Command in September 2023.
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Briefing the media after a closed-door meeting between the two institutions, Mr Albert Kwabena Dwumfour said, “We have agreed to strengthen our relationship, that is the media-military relationship which is very important. This was an issue we touched on during our first visit and they have come to reassure us that they are going to make sure to do everything in their capacity to strengthen this bond.”
He continued, “We also welcome that call and we are also ready to cooperate and work with them to make sure that the bond that exists between these two institutions will be strengthened.”
Capacity Building
You may recall that when the GJA paid a courtesy call on the Military High Command earlier, the GJA President, appealed to the CDS to support the GJA build the capacities of the media to enable practitioners come to terms with the rules and regulations, as well as operation of the military in order to reduce excesses while in their line of duty.
Mr Albert Kwabena noted that the Military High Command has also agreed to support the GJA with resources to organise training, workshops and programmes in order to build the capacities of practitioners.
“We discussed issues of mutual concern such as training and workshops for Journalists to understand each other’s role because most often, the excesses arrive when there is no understanding, or when there is no coordination. We speak a different language as they also speak a different language so we need to come to terms with the roles, how the military operates and how the media also operates and that can be done through training, sensitisation, education and workshops,”
He expressed gratitude to the Military for welcoming the GJA’s request for the training and building of capacities of the media.
He observed there were some recent attacks on journalists, pointing that of the Akyemansa FM by some soldiers at Akyem Oda, saying the GJA has called on the Military high command to bring the perpetrators to book.
Mr Dwumfour noted that the Military have already taken the matter up to make sure they deal with perpetrators, saying the GJA is hoping to see that the Military reprimands the perpetrators.
He also noted that the Military High Command has petitioned the National Media Commission and the GJA over certain issues including that of Onua TV saying the GJA has referred the matters to the Ethics and disciplinary Council, saying the GJA is waiting for recommendations from the Council and then will handle the matter based on the recommendations.
Meanwhile, he commended the CDS over his resolve to reprimand reckless soldiers.
He also commended CDS and the entire military over their tolerance for the public, including journalists who provoke them in their line of duty.
“We want to encourage the public, state institutions, political parties, security agencies, government and all major stakeholders to emulate the same that even in the face of provocation, they will be tolerant just as the military do,” he said.
Mr Dwumfour also urged the media to be circumspect in their reportage in order to prevent chaos.
Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori
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