The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has won the bid to host the Third African Media Convention in Accra, Ghana in May 2024.
The GJA’s successful bid to host the next Convention was announced during the Second African Media Convention which was held in Lusaka, Zambia from 11 – 13 May 2023.
This was announced by the GJA President, Mr Albert Kwabena Dwumfour at a press conference in Accra on Tuesday, May 23,2023.
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The African Media Convention is currently the largest gathering of media stakeholders and policymakers in the continent.
The Convention, an initiative of The African Editors’ Forum (TAEF) is designed to safeguard the hard-won media freedoms and safety of journalists on the continent. The maiden edition of the Convention was held in Arusha, Tanzania, in 2022.
The Convention brings together media experts, scholars, students, journalists, journalists’ unions and associations, editors, public and private sector, including cooperating partners from around the African continent and beyond as well as representatives from UNESCO and the African Union Commission.
It is a moment of reflection by African media stakeholders on the revolving trends that impede freedom of expression and freedom of the media, media viability and sustainability as well as the safety and security of journalists.
The GJA will be the first journalists’ association or union to host this event noting that the first Convention was hosted by the East African Editors’ Forum in Arusha, Tanzania, while the second edition of the Convention was hosted by the Southern Africa Editors’ Forum (SAEF) in Lusaka, Zambia.
According to Mr Dwumfour, while the GJA, with support from the Ghana Government and its stakeholders fronted the bid to host the event, other countries also lobbied for it but due to Ghana’s vibrant media, it won the bid to host the event which will be first hosted in Ghana and West Africa.
“It is essential to note, ladies and gentlemen of the media, that at the same time that the GJA was making a strong case to host the AMC, other countries were also lobbying vigorously for it. But we beat them to it thanks to Ghana’s vibrant media industry as well as Ghana’s media freedom and democratic credentials in the past,” he said.
The GJA President noted that Ghana performed exceptionally well on the 2018-2020 World Press Freedom Index, ranking third in Africa in 2018, first in 2019, and third once again in 2020. Regarding media freedom and independence, he noted that Ghana was among the most liberated nations in Africa.
However, he noted that Ghana’s Press Freedom record in recent times has been a great cause for concern.
Meanwhile, he made it known that the GJA will be 75years next year, adding that the convention will coincide with the 75th anniversary of the GJA which also marks the 60th anniversary of the African Union (AU).
“As I said during my acceptance speech in Lusaka, we are ready and prepared to host the Third African Media Convention in Accra in 2024. Aside from the proverbial Ghanaian hospitality which our African brothers will experience, we believe they also take the opportunity to visit several places of interest such as Mountain Afadjato, the tallest mountain in Africa, kakum National Park, Mole National Park, St. George’s Castle, Nzulezu, Volta Lake, Paga Crocodile Pond, and Lake Bosomtwe, among others,” he said.
Mr Dwumfour applauded the Ghanaian government, and all stakeholders, specifically the Ministry of Information, for their unwavering support for this successful bid.
He called on all to support the course and urged journalists here in Ghana to take part in the registration when it opens.
Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori
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