 in collaboration with the US Embassy Ghana has launched the Elections 2024 Project dubbed 'Journalists){kind=link}
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) in collaboration with the US Embassy Ghana has launched the GJA/US Embassy Ghana Elections 2024 Project dubbed ‘Journalists for Peaceful Discourse’.
The Journalists for Peaceful Discourse is a 10 -month project that seeks to provide the opportunity to uphold the tenets of press freedom and freedom of expression while promoting professionalism, and empowering the Media and related entities to contribute to violence-free and credible polls next year.
It is also an opportunity to exchange knowledge and foster an environment conducive to discussions on safeguarding freedom of speech and building strong electoral and democratic institutions.
The theme for the project is,”Promoting Peaceful Journalistic Media Platforms Ahead of Elections 2024″.
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Speaking at the launch, the GJA President, Mr Albert Kwabena Dwumfour noted that the upcoming election is crucial; therefore, the media and the inky fraternity have a bigger role to play in safeguarding Ghana’s democracy.
“This is why the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) carefully selected, “Leveraging Media Freedom to Sustain the Democratic and Security Architecture: The Litmus Test of Election 2024” as the theme for this year’s Media Awards, which was held on 29th October 2023 at the Accra International Conference Center,” he said.
Mr Dwumfour explained further that the launch of the GJA/US Embassy Ghana Elections 2024 Project is a further testament to the fact that journalists in the country are willing and ready to ensure that democracy is guarded and secured even beyond 2024.
“The objective of this endeavour is to safeguard the freedom of the press while advancing credible and violence-free elections via peaceful media platforms before, during, and after the 2024 presidential election. As we all know, participation is the foundation of a credible election, and participation necessitates that individuals are free to express themselves without fear of intimidation and make well-informed decisions. Freedom of expression does not only mean allowing people to speak but also ensuring responsibility,” he said.
Benefits
The GJA President said under the project, professional development will be offered to Online Editors, Producers, on-air personalities, and talk show hosts to build their knowledge base in contributing to violence-free platforms.He noted that this professional development will be provided by industry experts, researchers, and academics.
“It will also promote long-term learning among participants that would contribute to upholding freedom of expression and credible polls by initiating Journalists for Peaceful Discourse mini-projects,” he said.
Mr Dwumfour added that, “It will help journalists know the rules governing elections and know the do’s and don’ts when covering such sensitive national assignments. It will also encourage information sharing with Election- related entities to better inform the work of the EC and related entities with the view to promoting freedom of expression for violent free and credible polls.”
He said the project will also create a platform for GJA and working journalists to share learning moments and best practices on elections in Ghana.
Mr Dwumfour therefore urged members of the media to take advantage of the project to enhance professional capacity to contribute to a peaceful and credible election in 2024.
He commended the US Embassy in Ghana for supporting the project, emphasizing that the US Embassy Ghana Office has since 2012, supported the GJA in running election Programmes that provide a platform for Journalists, Media Owners, and Civil Society to reflect on the performance of the media in previous elections.
He called on other developmental and diplomatic partners, donor support institutions, and funders to emulate the good deeds of the US Embassy by investing in Professional Development to build the capacity of journalists.
For his part, the Press Attache for US Embassy Ghana, Kevin Brosnahan noted that the Embassy has worked with the GJA for many years to defend press freedom and to provide resources and training for Ghana’s journalists, adding that next year will be not different.
He said the US Embassy Ghana will support GJA’s regional training for journalists to improve their fact-based reporting on elections, help fight election mis and disinformation, and support high-quality public information related to the elections.
“You, as journalists, have an essential connection between important information and the public. You can use your voice to empower people to vote based on their own informed opinions. You can ensure voters have full, fact-based information to make their ultimate choice. You can ensure voters have complete information on how to register and ultimately vote in free and fair elections. Only free, professional, and responsible journalists can do those things,” he said.
He added that, “Ghana is already in full campaign season. Your role is to report the facts as best you understand them, to ask tough questions, and get the answers Ghanaians need to cast their votes based on the best information available. You are also critical to providing citizens with actionable information on how to register to vote, where to vote, when to vote, and how to analyze the issues to help voters identify their preferred candidate.”
Kevin Brosnahan said the US Embassy Ghana’s support for GJA is just a part of its work with journalists in the coming year.
According to him, Later this month, the Embassy will convene a photojournalism workshop at the Dikan Center, focused on how photographers can responsibly support election reporting.
Aside from that, he said they are also working with Dubawa – Ghana to provide fact-checking training for 60 rural journalists in central Ghana and also, working with the Media Foundation for West Africa to train 100 journalists on “peace journalism” and conflict resolution.
“We understand the important role journalists must play in free and fair elections in Ghana. That’s why we are here today and that’s why we are working with GJA to provide journalists with the tools and training they need to positively support Ghana’s elections next year,” he said.
Selection of Participants
The Project Lead, Rebecca Ekpe who is also the Public Affairs Officer of the GJA said Online Journalists and On-Air Personalities/Talk Show Hosts of privately/politically exposed radio/TV stations, especially local language speaking stations of mostly flash points and (some influencers) who will be identified through GJA’s Regional network architecture will be selected for the project. By this, she said journalists from all the sixteen regions of Ghana will benefit from the training.
She said the selected journalists will train other journalists in their various media houses thereby ensuring a “training of trainers effect’’.
Rebecca Ekpe explained that these training sessions will be held in five cities in Ghana to ensure full national reach.
She noted that the speakers/trainers will be drawn from experts in journalism, academia, and researchers on the topics related to the media and its role in promoting peaceful electoral discourse.
Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori