President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged the media to ensure true and accurate reportage on the COVID-19 pandemic.
The President met the leadership of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), Private Newspaper Publishers Association of Ghana (PRIMPAG) and the National Media Commission (NMC) at the Jubilee House, at his invitation, as part of efforts of his government to consult all identifiable groups in the country on the way forward with regard to the fight against the pandemic.
The President first observed that the media has been, for the government, “an invaluable ally on two fronts”.
Firstly, “in helping to get the information and education out there to the citizenry of our country about this new menace to the progress on the human race”, and secondly, and equally important “is your roles as vehicle of accountability”, the President said.
He said: “I am a strong believer that in all circumstances, even in the conduct of war, governments and public officials should be held accountable for what they do and you are the vehicles for accountability in our society and that is how it should be”.
“One thing that is important though”, the President added: “Is that there should be accuracy in what you convey; that is critical”.
He explained: “Different perspectives, different views, different conclusions on certain facts are inevitable; it is but of the whole process of being human. We cannot all have the same head, God did not make it that way, but we can agree on facts and, as much as possible, when it comes to public discourse, the truth, the accuracy of what is purveyed is very critical, especially, in an emergency of this nature where the slightest misinformation, slightest inaccuracy, misinterpretation can lead to a lot of grief and difficulty”.
The Chairman of the National Media Commission, Mr Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh, addressing the President on behalf of the media delegation, noted that the media fraternity is deeply in the debt of the President for his invitation.
He accepted the admonishing of the President to the media.
“Our assurance to the government is that we will do whatever we need to do to support the government in making sure that the people of this country come out of this pandemic stronger they were before”, the NMC Chairman said.
Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com
