The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has called on the Legislature and Executive to work assiduously to ensure the passage of the Right to Information and Broadcasting Bills this year.
According to the GJA, the passage of the Bills will promote professionalism in the media landscape in the country, as well as strengthen the fight against corruption.
A statement signed by the President of the Association, Affail Monney, indicated that the two bills have like a pendulum swung between the Executive and the Legislature for many years.
It also called on political actors to be awakened to their common aspirations of improving the wellbeing of Ghanaians and deepening the country’s fledgling democracy.
“They must always place national interest above personal interests and also appreciate the fact that political office is a call to serve not to swerve the national interest.”
It said political actors must consider the media as partners and not enemies and must “stretch to the media a helpful hand and not a hurtful hand.”
“The era of assault and brutality of political actors against the media must give way to an era of respect for the rule of law and human dignity between the two institutions in 2018 to help move the country forward,” the statement pointed out.
It also called on media practitioners to deliver on their cardinal mandate of holding the government of the day responsible and accountable as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution.
“However, that watchdog function and the enormous freedoms accorded the media must be exercised with the utmost responsibility, the practitioners must do better in the discharge of their jobs as champions of national development.
It also commended government for its fight against illegal mining, popularly known as ‘galamsey.’
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