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MPEC in partnership with MRGA hold awards in Accra
The Media Platform on Environment and Climate Change (MPEC) and the Minority Rights Group Africa (MRGA) on Tuesday held the second edition of the Inclusive & Anti Conflict Journalism Awards in Accra.
The ceremony held on the theme “Deepening quality and ethical journalism to address conflict and minority exclusion” was organised under the engaging media and minorities to act for peace-building which is a multi-country project by the European Union (EU).
This year’s awards scheme received about 41 applications as compared to 30 applications from last year. Out of these applications six finalists were honoured.
At the end of the occasion Fugu Mohammed, the Northern Regional Correspondent of the Daily Graphic emerged as the overall best reporter.
Other awardees under the print and online/wire and TV categories included Anthony Adongo Apubeo of GNA, Timothy Ngnenbe (Daily Graphic), Emmanuel Bright Quaicoe (Multi Media), Mona Lisa Frimpong (Multi Media) and Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen of Apexnews.
In her welcome address, the Executive Director of MPEC, Mary Ama Kudom-Agyemang charged journalists to keep playing their role through public education on climate change, conflict and minority issues.
“We, as media, should play our part and highlight these issues very well and educate the public to make responsible decisions on these,” she said.
She said the award was to motivate and incentivised journalists to pay closer attention to issues of conflicts, migration, climate change and minority exclusion hence expressing gratitude to all journalists who heeded their call to participate in the awards and commended the awardees for their exceptional reportage.
Mr Affail Monney, a former president of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) who chaired the occasion, also urged the winners to be more persistent in their advocacy of minorities.
He charged journalists to practise journalism in an innovative way that de-escalates dialogue and peaceful outcomes, but not in a way that escalates conflict through bias and sensationalism.
Mr Monney admonished traditional media to ensure that news and information consumption becomes part of the solution.
“Journalists must be more inclusive in their reportage and pay closer attention to issues that adversely affect our development and well-being” Mr Monney stated.
The Secretary of the Ghana Journalists Association, Mr Kofi Yeboah for his part commended MPEC and its partners for organizing such an award to honour journalists of their good works and entreated journalists to continue to work hard to build and sustain public confidence in the media.
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Traders, ‘Okada’ riders take over Circle pavement
• Korle-Bu CEO with staff of Nivaansh MediQas
Activities of traders and drug addicts are contributing to make the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange (Circle) area very uncomfortable and unsafe for commuters.
Day in and out, pedestrians are ‘ejected’ from the pavement created for their safety as traders preferred to sell their wares on that space.
That hinders the free movement of the pedestrians.
The small space left for the pedestrians are also shared with ‘Okada’ riders.
As if these woes are not enough for a commuter on a single day, they also have to navigate carefully to avoid clashes with drug addicts and the mentally challenged.
These people have turned the pavements into their places of abode, covering every inch of space with their wares.
Our photographer, Lizzy Okai, captures some of the unfriendly scenes the authorities must try and deal with to restore sanity to the area.
By Lizzy Okai
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NDC outlines demands before committing to Peace Pact
The National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has set forth specific conditions that the party insists must be met before considering signing the Peace Pact advocated by the National Peace Council in anticipation of the December 7 elections.
Mr. Nketia expressed scepticism about the effectiveness of past Peace Pacts, highlighting that they had not achieved their intended outcomes, particularly referencing the 2020 elections, during which eight NDC members were allegedly killed by national security operatives without accountability.
During an August 20 meeting with the National Peace Council at the NDC headquarters, Mr. Nketia detailed the certain conditions for the NDC’s participation in the Peace Pact.
The NDC is demanding that the recommendations from the investigation into the violence during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election be fully implemented.
They also want those responsible for election-related violence in the last election to be prosecuted, stressing the importance of justice and prevention.
The party is calling for accountability regarding irregularities in the printing of ballot papers and insists that visible measures be taken to prevent such issues from happening again.
They are also pushing for a thorough investigation into the missing IT equipment from the Electoral Commission’s (EC) warehouse, expressing concerns about the integrity of the EC’s systems and the potential bias of its staff.
Furthermore, the NDC is urging the President to publicly commit to respecting the results of the 2024 elections. Lastly, the party insists that the Peace Pact should be signed by key figures, including the Inspector General of Police, the Chief Justice, the Attorney-General, and the National Security Coordinator, before they will consider signing it themselves.
Source: Citinewsroom.com
