A Democracy and Development Fellow at the Centre for Democratic Development, Ghana (CDD-Ghana), Dr. John Osae-Kwapong, has said much as government needs to do a lot more to up Ghana’s press freedom rankings, journalists also owe it as a responsibility to adhere to the ethics of the profession and not engage in acts that infringe on the rights of others.
Dr. Osae-Kwapong was speaking on the back of the downgrade in Ghana’s 2022 World Press Freedom Index by International Ratings Agency, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) that has seen Ghana moved 30 places to rank 60th.
Reacting to the news of the downgrade, he said inasmuch as he agreed that journalists
needed to carry out their work without fear, he is of the view that they also have the responsibility to adhere to the ethics of journalism and not to infringe on the rights of others.
“Working according to the ethics of the profession is critical in this endeavor in the exercise of their work to enhance press freedom,” Dr. Osae-Kwapong stated.
The downgrade is Ghana’s worst performance in 17 years when it placed 66th in 2005.
Though the Publishers of the ranking announced they have employed a new methodology which accounts for the massive downgrade, government in a statement released yesterday welcomed the report and called for a collaboration amongst stakeholders to up Ghana’s rankings.
The statement issued by Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said it is important to step up the country’s response by better educating state agencies and the public to better relate to journalists even when they disagree with their works.
Already, he said, government has put in place welfare programmes that will see to the safety of journalists and address their bread and butter concerns.
He said it has supported the National Media Commission (NMC) to establish an office for the Coordinated Mechanism on the Safety of Journalists. This the Minister said the newly created office needs more support and attention to succeed at its work.
Government, he also mentioned through the Media Capacity Enhancement Programme (MCEP) is providing training for some 250 journalists on emerging issues in journalism.
It forms part of collaborative efforts by stakeholders in the media industry like the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and media umbrella bodies to support the sector which has been challenged in recent times.
It is also collaborating with stakeholders including Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in deepening education for state and non-state actors on the safety of journalists.
This is he said is in addition to the numerous support government lends out to media associations including media owners to improve the working and economic conditions of journalists.
