Journalists Call For Passage Of RTI And Broadcasting Laws

Journalists Call For Passage Of RTI And Broadcasting Laws

By Mohammed Awal

The President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Dr. Affail Monney, has passionately called on the Mahama-led government and Parliament to speed up the passage of the Right To Information (RTI) bill, and the broadcasting laws of the country.

According to him, Ghana could not afford to wait any longer for perfect conditions to implement these vital media laws.

The laws, he said, when passed, would help regulate the media landscape in the country, adding that these laws were needed to regulate the industry, motivate those who employ it for good, and also to deter those who may consciously, or unconsciously, use it stir confusion and violence.

Dr. Monney made the call at the GJA-PAV Ansah Journalist of the Year Award for 2012, and the 18^th Awards Night held in Accra over the weekend to celebrate hardworking journalists, who, amidst untoward hardships and meager remunerations, strive tirelessly to uphold the ethics and guiding principles of the profession.

On the broadcasting law, he stated: “The GJA considers the passage of such a law very crucial to promoting greater professionalism and decency on the air waves. We cannot afford to leave the development of an influential medium as broadcasting to chance.”

In spite of this, “any law we fashion out should not be allowed to gag or stifle democracy. It should be crafted in a manner that would set standards, in terms of technological applications, frequent reach, syndication, programming, sanctions in breach of ethics, and the likes,” he stressed.

Efforts made by GJA to get the laws passed

Dr. Monney, who is also the Acting Director of Radio Ghana of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), lamented how present and successive governments lazily dealt with the efforts of the GJA and others in ensuring that the RTI bill was successfully passed.

The governments glossed over this persistent request, offering flimsy excuses that “even under the Constitutional provision of ‘the people’s right to know’ we need to put in place all the appropriate measures, to enable us carry out any policy of free and easy access to information,” he added.

 “On this matter, the GJA agrees with the famous writer, Mark Twain, who simply says ‘continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection.’ There can be no more time to waste, in the name of conditions are not fully ripe,” he noted.

Media’s role in a Democratic State

On the media’s role in ensuring credible elections, Dr. Monney said that important indicators of free, fair, and transparent elections was free, fair and unbiased media coverage.

However, to achieve that, he said “there ought to be both a high sense of professionalism on the part of media personnel, especially, journalists, and an equally high sense of peaceful political campaigns and responsiveness to media relations by political parties.”

The colourful ceremony, themed “Promoting Healthy Partisanship and Fruitful Partnership in Governance: The Role of the Media”, was attended by dignitaries, including Her Ladyship Justice Georgina Wood, Chief Justice of Ghana, Mallam Mohammed Garba, President, Federation of African Journalists, Mahama Ayariga, Minister of Information and Media Relations, and Madam Ruby Sandhu-Rojon, UN Resident Coordinator to Ghana

Awards

A reporter of Radio Ghana of GBC, Kingsley Obeng Kyere, won the Best Journalist of the Year 2012, with a story entitled ‘Where did half the ladle go?’

The story saw him scoop the ultimate from a line-up of formidable and capable journalists whose hard work had been duly noted over the period of estimation, review, and consideration.

The same story also earned him the award of being the best in science reporting. His work unearths and exposes the dangers associated in the usage of metallic cooking utensils in cooking. Shortly after being adjudged the 2012 GJA-PAV ANSAH Journalist of the Year, Mr. Obeng Kyere expressed his heart felt gratitude to the almighty God for his mercies, saying he takes consolation from the Word, and appealed to the media fraternity to devote their hearts and give their best in the field of work.

“I never relent on anything I did provided it is serving the needs of society, and that the policy of development is my hallmark in the discharge of my duty,” he added.

He further urged colleagues journalists to eschew journalism of divisiveness, equalisation, and assume the role of apostles of development, gate keeping, and enlightenment.

Below is the full list of award winners
Honorary Awards 

Cyril Acorlatse

Ms Wendy Asiamah

Mr Tom Dorkenoo

Mrs Margaret Sarfo

Mr Theophilus Mawusi Afele

Journalist of the Year - Kingsley Obeng Kyereh - GBC Radio

Best in News Reporting (Print) - Charles Benoni Okine - Graphic Business

Best in News Reporting (Radio) - Kwaku Owusu Peprah - Joy FM

Best in News Reporting (TV) - Manasseh Azure Awini - Joy FM

Best in Feature (Print) - Edmund Kofi Yeboah - Daily Graphic

Best in News Reporting (TV) - Odelia Ofori - TV3

Best in Investigative Reporting - Kwetey Nartey - TV Africa

Best in Photojournalism - Emmanuel Quaye - Daily Graphic

Best in Sports - Dzifah Tetteh - The Ghanaian Times

Best in Arts/Entertainment & Domestic Tourism - Rebecca Awuah - GTV24

Best Entry in Small and Micro Scale Enterprises - Maxwell Akalaare - Graphic Business

Best in Environmental Report - William Asiedu - The Mirror

Best Report in Health - Rebecca Quaye - The Mirror

Best Report in HIV and AIDS - Jamila Akweley Okerchire - Daily Guide

Best in Development Journalism for furthering MDGs - Efua Acquaah-Harrison - TV3

Best in Rural Reporting - Gifty Andoh Appiah - Joy FM

Best in political Reporting - Konrad Kakraba - GTV

Human Rights (focus on Child Rights) Fanny Nana Ampong - GTV

Best Report on Disability - Rosemary Gaisie - GBC Radio

Best Report on Peace, Democracy and Peace Building - Radio XYZ

Best Report on Education - Seth Bokpe - Daily Graphic

Best Report in Agriculture - Isabella Owusu Oppong - GTV

Best radio/TV programme - Akan - Radio Peace (Winneba)

Best radio/TV programme - Ga - Obonu FM

Best Report on Science - Kingsley Obeng Kyere - GBC Radio

Young Promising Journalist of the Year - Hannah Acheampong Amoah - Junior Graphic

Young Promising Journalist of the Year (Runner-up) David Adadevoh - The Ghanaian Times