Statesman Sir Sam Jonah, has urged journalists to utilise their voices and pens to shape a narrative of peace and fairness as the 2024 December general elections approach.

He says the need for journalists to be fearless and courageous while maintaining peace must be unequivocal.

Delivering a speech at the 75th-anniversary celebration launch of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), on Wednesday, April 17, Sam Jonah said journalists cannot and must not compromise on their defense of the national interest.

“As we approach the forthcoming elections, let your pens and your voices forge a narrative of peace, fairness, and democracy.

He said with the approach of the December 7, 2024 elections, his confidence to trust Ghanaian journalists to do a professional job of it eludes him.

Read also: Don’t be cowed into silence, defend Ghana’s democracy – Sam Jonah tells journalists

“As we stand on the precipice of yet another electoral milestone, in my view, the most consequential, the echoes of past violence, the whispers of disenfranchisement looms and I don't think anyone needs reminding that the conduct of the electoral exercise together with its outcome is so important that the nation cannot afford bias and unprofessional coverage of it by members of your profession.

“I wish I could be confident that the coverage will be professional but am afraid I can't, given the largely unserious way in which another important national issue- the most egregious abuse of the rights of millions whose livelihood has been decimated completely by galamsey operations, has been treated by your profession. I don't know whether you are exhausted and indeed frustrated by the shameful lack of decisive action from the authorities to your interventions.”

He said the sad saga of SALL, the killing of innocent voters at Techiman, and the unprecedented electoral violence at Ayawaso remain a scar on the collective conscience of the nation, adding that "We must all resolve that these unfortunate chapters in our more recent history will never be repeated,” he added.

He called on journalists to endeavour to be the "bridge over troubled waters", ensuring that every Ghanaian, irrespective of political allegiance, finds solace and strength in the truth.

“I call upon you to remember that the Ghana Journalists Association is more than a collective of individuals; it is a symbol of our nation’s resilience, its aspirations, and its unwavering pursuit of progress,” Sam Jonah added.

The statesman clarified that journalists have been taught to be wary of being overly optimistic or drearily pessimistic and urged them to look carefully at the facts, the source, the context, and any motive behind their stories.

“Trust but verify, and when you have your who, what, where, why, and how, do not be afraid to publish the truth. It is better to tell the truth that offends than look on timidly, sheepishly, and cowardly as the country’s interest is captured for the benefit of a few.”