As the media provide and facilitate the flow of
information, the Council acknowledges that they constitute an important
component of the political process in democracies.
Chairman of the National Peace Council, Most Rev.
Prof. Emmanuel Asante, however says the media must be encouraged to discourage
political insults, lies and invectives and facilitate debates on issues
bothering on national interest.
“Reporting on conflicts and elections in a way that
promotes peace in the country is critical to Ghana’s democratic governance,” he
said.
The Ghana Centre for Democratic Development
(CDD-Ghana) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have initiated
a consultative platform to promote dialogue and build consensus on national
policy response to systematic governance issues.
The “Multi-stakeholder Consultative Platform for
Peace and Democratic Governance” seeks to build consensus towards developing
pragmatic and workable interventions to deal with critical issues of peace and
governance in Ghana.
One of the outcomes to be achieved on this platform
is to conduct advocacy campaigns to empower citizens with information and
knowledge to promote peaceful coexistence and social cohesion.
Among activities is engagement with media editors
and reporters to negotiate their partnership for supporting the peace campaign
using their various media channels. They will also be educated on conflict
sensitive reporting and peacebuilding,
UNDP’s Peace and Governance Analyst, Melody Azinim,
says the UNDP will continue to support the different peace actors to ensure
that Ghana continues to advance its enviable record as an oasis of peace in
Africa.
Most Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Asante said “the media’s
positive contribution should not blind us to the dangers inherent in mass
communication, especially where effective control may be in the hands of a very
few, usually powerful individuals who are motivated by pecuniary and political
interests”.
He observed media personnel may face moral problems
over conflict of interest that might affect their objectivity, neutrality and
ability to report accurately and justly.
“Chequebook
journalism and gutter press and media can visit chaos upon our democratic
good,” he said. “For the sake of national cohesion, we must encourage the media
to be fair, responsible and objective in their coverage and reportage of
issues”.
‘Chequebook’ journalism is the practice where the
journalist buys stories and is in danger of creating much ado about nothing,
while pandering to the greed, vulnerability and undiscerning gullibility of
people.
These acts undermine the sanctity of the media, said
the Chairman of the National Peace Council.
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