Journalism Training should focus on search for truth (DAILY GRAPHIC, Nov 18, 2008)

Story: Gifty Bamfo

THE Minister of Education, Science and Sports, (MoESS), Prof Dominic Fobih, has stressed the need for the training offered by the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ), to be tailored to meet the basic needs which are the search for truth and concern for societal development.
He said the institute should inculcate in our leaders, the spirit of creating a national environment in which individuals and societal needs regarding information, are made accessible for the general development agenda.
This way, he said the media would shut out irrelevant issues and unwaranted attacks on individuals and rather focus on development issues such as the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS) and the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs).
In a speech read on his behalf, at the second congregation of the GIJ, where 91 students were awarded diploma in Communication Studies, the Minister admonished the students to study hard and lead lives that would make them justify the investments they have made themselves, and made by their parents and guardians.
The occasion was on the theme, ”The media, politicians and responsibilty towards the 2008 general elections”.
The Minister challenged media practitioners to ensure that Ghana emerges from the December 7 elections as a strong unified nation.
He said the media bore a greater responsibility for the success of this year’s elections because of their crucial role as informers and educators of the citizenry.
Prof Fobih said journalists must use the lessons of some sister African countries, to build with their pens and voices and not to destroy.
He asked Ghanaians to exercise the greatest restraint and tolerance, during this year’s elections in order to deepen the democratic achievements chalked up over the past two decades.
“Ghana has sucessfully established itself as a leading democratic country in Africa and there is no doubt about this,” he added.
He commended the institute for producing professionals who disseminated information needed for national development.
The President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Mr Ransford Tetteh, who chaired the occasion, urged the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETfund) and the Ministry of Education Science and Sports (MoESS) to continue to extend their support to the institute for it to meet the demand of more students who would like to enroll to pursue various programmes in communication studies.
Mr Tetteh adviced the graduands to come out with verifiable and factual information before putting it out to the public.
In his welcome address,the acting Rector of the institute, Mr Kwaku Rockson, said the institute believed in maintaining very high standards of decency, fairness and equity in every facet of democratic governance.
Mr Rockson acknowleged the contribution of the Ministry and the GETfund by developing the intitute’s new site at Okponglo.
He said inspite of the gains made, the institute still faced problems such as financial, books for the library, audio visual equipment, accommodation for staff and logistics.
Miss Melody Selassie Adorsi emerged the overall best student, as well as the best professional and best female student.
She received three desk top computers and an undisclosed amount of money.