The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has been urged to uphold high professional standards and demand accountability from journalists to help restore public confidence in the media.
Mr Kwesi Pratt Jnr, veteran journalist and Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, who made the call, said the failure of some journalists to verify information, coupled with the rapid growth of digital media, had contributed to the spread of misinformation and eroded public trust in journalism.
He was speaking at the 77th Anniversary Symposium and inauguration of five reconstituted statutory committees of the GJA in Accra.
The symposium was held on the theme: “Building on our Legacy, Advancing Ethical Journalism and Shaping the Future of Digital Media.”
The committees inaugurated were the Membership Vetting Committee, Professional Development Committee, Social Affairs Committee, International Relations Committee, and Finance and Resource Mobilisation Committee.
Mr Pratt said the GJA must also prepare journalists to adapt to rapid technological and digital transformation while reconnecting the profession with society.
He said the future of journalism required more than the ability to use Artificial Intelligence (AI), stressing that journalists must be able to question, verify and critically assess information generated by the technology.
Mr Pratt disclosed that some media organisations recruited journalists based on their number of followers on social media platforms, warning that such practices could undermine professional journalism.
He also expressed concern about the media’s heavy focus on state officials, corporate executives and institutional authorities at the expense of other sectors of society, including farmers, fishermen and nurses.
On media economics, Mr Pratt said sustainable journalism could not be achieved without addressing the working conditions of journalists.
“We cannot continuously demand fearless journalism from journalists while ignoring the conditions under which they work,” he said.
He urged journalists to remain committed to truth, independence, the public interest and the dignity of citizens.
GJA President
The President of the GJA, Mr Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, commended the Association’s founders and past executives for their contributions to its growth and development.
He said although the GJA was committed to promoting press freedom, it could not defend the credibility of journalism if journalists failed to uphold the standards of the profession.
Mr Dwumfour urged media organisations to develop clear editorial policies on the use of AI and invest in the continuous professional development of journalists.
He also appealed to government institutions to respect the role of the media and called on corporate organisations to support the Association and the media industry.
Government’s commitment
In a speech read on his behalf by his deputy, the Minister in charge of Government Communications, Mr Felix Kwakye Ofosu, highlighted the role of the media in advancing government policies and strengthening democratic governance.
“Ghana’s democratic journey offers very clear examples of what becomes possible when politics and journalism work in the national interest,” he said.
Mr Ofosu urged journalists and media organisations to uphold ethical standards and pledged the government’s commitment to deepening its partnership with the media.
