The Executive Director of Media Foundation for West Africa, Professor Kwame Karikari, has called on the media to exhibit a sense of professionalism in their reportage to enable them redeem the country from degenerating into a polarised state. He pointed out that the media should not only be factual and truthful in their reportage, but should also be accurate and unbiased to enable them expose selfish politicians, religious leaders and chiefs who are gradually promoting sectarian and divisional tendencies in the country. Professor Karikari gave the advice at a media development forum organised in Kumasi last Saturday. The forum, which brought together representatives of the media from the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions, was part of the Ghana Media Standard improvement project aimed at sensitising media practitioners and management to exhibit a sense of professionalism in their reportage. About 60 practitioners attended the forum, which was on the theme; The media, peace-making and reconciliation in the community". Bemoaning the divisionist tendency in the country and the problems it is creating, Professor Karikari pointed out that over the years, "some of our politicians who should have ensured that the country is united, peaceful and civilised, appear to seek power for the sake of it. " He urged Parliament not to stoke the fire but also develop ideas for promoting sustainable national development, while the judiciary must help to promote peace, and not only to resolve conflict . Professor Karikari said the onus, therefore, laid on the media to play their professional responsibility in a way that would not only entrench the rule of law and democracy in the country but would also create harmonious and peaceful coexistence among the populace. "We should be able to create sanity and promote the rights of the ordinary Ghanaian to enhance decent and better standards of living. We should be able to defend the Constitution and nurture the democratic dispensation for the rule of law to prevail in the system, " he advised. Professor Karikari noted that with the level of polarisation in the country, " the media has the moral responsibility to rescue the nation from the doldrums of factionalism" He stressed that without the media, the country would not have been at this level of her socio-economic development. "The Political class has betrayed the trust that the country reposed in them, chiefs are also betraying the trust, and religious leaders cannot be trusted either, so the media should pull us on track to ensure a harmonious and peaceful co-existence," he further stressed. He said the media could pull the country on track by mobilising the populace to undertake programmes and policies that would efficiently and effectively address their socio-economic needs. " You can feed them with information about their cultural values and needs, economic development, health, education and commerce for them to take informed decisions and plan to achieve such set targets,'" he advised. He said with factual, credible and unbiased reportage, the people would not only be better informed, well educated and enlightened, but would also play their respective roles to enhance accelerated socio-economic development. He pointed out that by educating the populace, those who feed on their ignorance through misinformation on politics and religion, among other issues, could not play on their ignorance again. "People are cheated all the time on issues related to politics and religion, and as journalists, we should be able to enlighten and take sides on issues that promote the welfare of the ordinary person, " he stated. The Director of West Africa Human Rights and Democracy, Mrs Janet Adama Mohammed, urged the media to be peace builders by creating a platform that would promote dialogue. She said the media should also challenge people perceived to be fanning conflict and expose their misdeeds to the public. " You should not only challenge people who have the tendency of fanning conflicts, but should also challenge them to accept the due process and believe in it," she advised. " We are the media, so we should build bridges and avoid sensational issues likely to create violence in communities," she stressed. Mrs Mohammed said it was only when the ordinary person believed that his or her rights had been trampled upon that he or she would act to attract attention. "People would shoot to create attention if they perceive that they are being neglected or being pushed to the ground without any justification," she explained. Source: Daily Graphic