Ghanaian journalists have been charged to consider the unity of the nation as their �greatest concern� and must therefore strive to unite the people instead of disuniting them.
President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Affail Monney who gave the charge in his New Year message to members of the inky fraternity, said journalists hold tremendous power to transform the nation but not to destroy it.
�My dearest colleagues do not forget that the Yuletide is an opportunity to count all the blessings our God has bestowed on us and at the same (time) reflect seriously on our foibles and infractions. It is a time to respect and treat all human beings as equal. The time for mudslinging, insults and venomous assaults should be buried once and for all. The unity of the nation should be our greatest concern,� he admonished.
Affail Monney urged all media practitioners to emphasise on the virtues of peace, love, tolerance and harmony, as well as work within the ethics of the profession and seek deeper spiritual anchorage.
He said journalists are like the prophets and disciples in the Bible who were asked �to write the vision, make it plain upon tablets, so he may run who reads it,� however some abandoned the voice of God and so instead of proclaiming peace, have resorted to violence and instead of assembling people together have dispersed them in disgrace.
The GJA president said the departure has resulted in hatred, malice and falsehood in the country, and despite a series of seminars on ethical code of conduct to guide the profession, �we have been adamant.
�As we slowly move toward the year 2015, let us endeavor in all our ways to acknowledge Him and He shall direct our paths to write what is truthful, accurate and reliable. We must be faithful to our profession and resist any sloughs of despair and temptation.�
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