Ghana: Review Meeting Calls for Tailored Media Capacity Enhancement Programme

Accra: At a recent review meeting in Accra, participants stressed the need for a revision of the course content in the Media Capacity Enhancement Programme to better cater to the specific requirements of various media organizations. The meeting, organized by the Ministry of Information, gathered media managers, editors, practitioners, academia, and student journalists.

According to Ghana News Agency, the current course outline, implemented by the Ministry of Information, should be adjusted to address the distinct needs of both state-owned and private media entities. Each type of organization plays a unique role in Ghana’s media landscape, and the training offered should reflect this diversity.

The meeting’s objective was to assess the impact of the Media Support Programme three years after its implementation and to gather feedback for making it more effective. Professor Audrey Gadzekpo, Dean of the School of Information and Communication Studies at the University of Ghana, who chaired the meeting, emphasized the importance of journalists and media outlets in verifying information sources before publication to prevent misinformation.

Professor Gadzekpo proposed a ‘Trainer-of-Trainers’ approach for the programme, allowing senior journalists to receive initial training and then impart their knowledge to colleagues in their respective media houses. She advocated for selecting experienced journalists for training over junior staff or national service persons. Additionally, she appealed to the government for sufficient funding to expand the training nationwide and stressed the importance of retaining trained journalists in their media organizations.

Since its inception in 2019, the Media Capacity Enhancement Programme has trained fewer than 100 journalists. The Minister of Information, Mr. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to institutionalizing the programme, aiming to promote professional and ethical journalism in Ghana. He outlined the need to address key public communication issues such as journalist safety, media capacity, and the containment of egregious media content.

Earlier this year, the Ministry included campaigns to combat misinformation and disinformation in the media landscape. Mr. Oppong Nkrumah expressed hope that the feedback from the participants would help improve the programme. He emphasized the Ministry’s dedication to institutionalizing media support initiatives and collaborating with stakeholders for effective execution.

Mr. Samuel Nartey George, Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram and Ranking Member on the Parliamentary Select Committee on Communications, highlighted the threat of misinformation and disinformation to Ghana’s democracy, especially in the lead-up to the 2024 General Election. He called for a united effort from all stakeholders to address these challenges head-on.