Category: General
Created on Friday, 04 May 2012 08:48
Published Date
Written by GNA
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Accra, May 3, GNA – The Government on Thursday commended the Ghanaians media for their role in nation building as the world marks World Press Freedom Day.
A statement signed by Mr Fritz Baffour, Minister for Information, copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra, said: “the government would like to sincerely congratulate media practitioners for their various roles in the national development effort.
“On this special day set aside for celebrating press freedom all over the world, the government wishes to assure media practitioners of its commitment to deepening press freedom as well as widening the space for practitioners to meaningfully engage in their journalistic activities”.
The statement explained that as part of its commitment to deepen press freedom, the Government would move the Broadcasting Bill at Parliament for consideration and passage.
“This, it is believed, will standardise the broadcasting industry as well as increase the level of professionalism,” the statement stated.
The Government renewed its commitment to ensuring that the one million Ghana Cedi Media Development Fund allocated under this year’s budget, would be quickly disbursed in order to support the media by way of training and capacity-building, among others.
“Already, a stake-holders forum has been held with practitioners on various issues, including capacity-building requirements of media practitioners as well as accessibility and disbursement under the Fund.
“As is characteristic of this government, we wish to renew our pledge to the running of an open, transparent and accountable governance, and will at all times be ready and willing to be part of any professional media scrutiny aimed at deepening our constitutional democracy.
“Finally, as we go into election 2012, let all media practitioners be reminded that Ghana is the only country that we have. Let us therefore be ambassadors of peace by guarding against the use of hate speech, insults, inflammatory and abusive language, ethnicity and any conduct calculated to breach the peace.”
