Media practitioners in the Upper West Region have expressed concern over the lack of respect for time by politicians and event organizers in the region. “We had the opportunity to grumble amongst ourselves about the lack of respect for time during programmes, but today, we think we have the opportunity to complain openly,” they said. They said when programmes were unnecessarily delayed, the programme organizers put the blame on the dignitaries who are mostly politicians. Politicians in turn say they were either given wrong time or were caught up in an equally important schedule. This, the media practitioners said, was not only affecting their work but was also impacting negatively on the entire development of the region. This issue was raised during a press soiree organised for the media practitioners in the region by the Regional Minister, Alhaji Issahaku Salia, on Monday at Wa. Other issues discussed during the interaction included the welfare of farmers especially cotton farmers in the region and the construction of the Regional Hospital among others. Alhaji Salia thanked the newsmen for the concerns they raised and pledged his commitment to have them addressed. He said the purpose for organizing the press soiree was to listen to their concerns and to see how best they could be addressed for the betterment of society. The Regional Minister commended the media practitioners for their positive reportage since he assumed office as the Regional Minister last year. Alhaji Salia appealed to the journalists to criticize constructively and also propose better development ideas towards the achievement of the “Better Ghana Agenda” promised by the government. Mr. Badjin Dougah Pobia, the Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association, commended the Regional Minister and his Deputy, Mr. Cezar Kale, as well as the Regional Coordinating Council, for organizing the programme. He said such meetings would strengthen the relationship between them and the media. He however appealed to the Regional Minister to consider acquiring a mini bus for the press to enhance rural reportage since lack of transport had always hindered rural reporting in the region. Source: GNA