The Public Affairs Section of the US Embassy is supporting the next edition of the Finance and Economics Clinic for Journalists (FEC-J).  

The training designed by El de D Consult, a marketing communications firm, aims to train relatively young journalists in basic Finance and Economics.

About 30 journalists from the Greater Accra, Ashanti, Western and Volta regions are expected to benefit from the training programme, spanning a period of five months.

Chief Executive of El de D Consult, Fred Avornyo said over 45 journalists had benefited from previous training programmes and the upcoming training workshop is to build the capacity of another cohort of journalists to enable them to report better on business and finance issues.  

Mr Avornyo explained that the training would be largely virtual with only two days of in-person sessions with the participants.

“We trained over 45 journalists in three editions from Greater Accra and Eastern regions, but this time, we are going to train 30 journalists in one edition from three regions, and with increased contact hours, because we are going virtual.”

He urged young journalists to take advantage of the opportunity and apply to participate.

Mr. Avornyo described financial journalism as “the most exciting form of journalism, when people have the requisite knowledge and skill” and said the most participatory teaching methods will be used to ensure that “participants, regardless of their background, will be sufficiently schooled in Finance and Economics required for the job.

“This is a training for journalists who are not financial reporters but who desire to become one and a good one, and so we will make Finance and Economics easy to understand and love.”  

Mr. Avornyo commended the US Embassy for supporting the programme, saying it would  go a long way to improve the quality of journalism in Ghana.

The workshop will be held in two phases, with the first phase starting this November. The participating journalists will take a break to allow time for election coverage activities and resume for the second phase in January next year.

The training will be formally launched in the third week of November.