The Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), has called on the media to apply its ethical values aimed at ensuring an acceptable outcome of the 2024 general elections. At a two-day capacity building workshop for selected journalists on electoral reforms in Kumasi, its senior programs officer, Micheal Akagbor noted that the media is the pillar through which the masses will rely on for information relative to the upcoming elections, hence the need to ensure proper utilisation of the media space by practitioners.
Describing elections as human rights events, Mr. Akagbor noted that human rights are the corner stone in which our elections rest, hence the need for the media to employ all its ethics and code of conduct in ensuring an acceptable elections. Violations of rights, he stated, create tension during elections. He wants the media to ensure that the interests of citizens are covered, for they have the power to elect and select.
He emphasised that the involvement of the media in elections help to strengthen democracy.
Vera Abena Addo, a programs officer with the CDD indicated that the competitive nature of the 2024 elections require that journalists, who are at the centre of electoral reforms to support the process so as for the country to have an efficient and more credible elections. ‘‘If the media understand their role and recognised how important there are in elections, then they will be more mindful and then help us to maintain the peace that we have enjoyed for years’’.
She emphasised the crucial role of the media relative to the conduct of the 2024 elections. For her, the media should not open its gate for politicians to throw in any information, but rather, the media should thoroughly scrutinize all information, especially that which is coming from political parties.
Mr George Sarpong, general secretary of the National Media Commission (NMC), tasked journalists, especially editors to intensify their gatekeeping role to fight-off misinformation and disinformation in the run-up to the 2024 elections. For him, politicians will always come up with information, but it is up to the media to employ proper fact-checking before going to press.
For him, it will be a great disservice should the media fail to check out for misinformation and disinformation. He noted that misinformation and disinformation hold a potential harm to our elections.
He called on the media to avoid hatred and provocative reportage and advised media practitioners to give equal space to all parties.
Source: mywordfmonline.com