Naagyei 90.3 Fm Agyapa
Today, May, 03, 2019 marks World Press Freedom Day.
It was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in December 1993.
The day offers an opportunity to celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom, assess the state of press freedom throughout the world, defend the media from attacks on their independence and pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
In a message the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres says, “No democracy is complete without access to transparent and reliable information”.
It is the cornerstone for building fair and impartial institutions, holding leaders accountable and speaking truth to power.
This year’s theme, “Media for Democracy: Journalism and Elections in Times of Disinformation”, discusses current challenges faced by media in elections, along with the media’s potential in supporting peace and reconciliation processes.
In the West African country, Ghana, government reveals it’s in the process of implementing a Media Capacity Enhancement Programme (MCEP) to boost the capacity of media practitioners in the delivery of their mandate in the country, a statement signed by Information Minister Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said, as Ghana joins the rest of the world to mark World Press Freedom Day, today.
Notwithstanding the wave of attacks on members of the inky fraternity, government insists “the protection of media practitioners is also to witness a boost with the introduction of a Coordinating Mechanism on the Safety of Journalists before July.”
