REMARKS BY MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS, DR. EDWARD OMANE BOAMAH AT THE SYMPOSIUM AND FLAG-RAISING CEREMONY IN COMMEMORATION OF WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY AT GHANA INTERNATIONAL PRESS CENTRE ON TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015

 

The Chairman of the NMC,

UNESCO Resident Director,

The Executive Secretary of the National Media Commission,

The Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa,

The President of PRINPAG,

The Director General of GBC,

The President of GIBA,

The Chairperson of Editors Forum, Ghana,

The President of IPR, Ghana,

The President of Blogging Ghana,

 

I acknowledge

The Representative of the Network of Community Radio Stations,

The Representatives of the TUC, Political Parties and Civil Society Groups,

The Members of the Diplomatic Corps,

Distinguished Guests,

Friends from the Press

Ladies and Gentlemen

 

Let me convey, on behalf of the Government and people of Ghana, on the occasion of the celebrations of World Press Freedom Day, the nation’s appreciation and gratitude to the Ghanaian media for its agile and influential contribution to the sustenance of the free and open media landscape in Ghana.

The World Press Freedom Day is proclaimed by the United Nations to acknowledge media pluralism and press freedom. These are essential ingredients for national development and it is celebrated on 3^rd May every year to mark the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek.

 

Mr. Chairman

We in Ghana are proud of our achievements as a democratic nation.

According to the 2015 World Press Freedom Index ranking, compiled annually by Paris-based ‘Reporters Without Borders’, Ghana moved up five places to the 22^nd position out of 180 countries and it is second behind Namibia in Africa. I am told this is the highest position we have ever attained on the global rankings. We must indeed congratulate ourselves for making this significant progress in media development, especially when we beat giants such as the USA and the UK to it.

I am sure this will motivate both Government and all stakeholders to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression as enshrined in Chapters 5 and 12 of our nation’s Constitution and under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

As explained by the Executive Secretary of the National Media Commission, the global theme for this year’s celebration is “Towards Better Reporting, Gender Equality, & Media Safety in the Digital Age”.

The theme is indeed relevant to the Ghanaian situation and it provides the Media, Political Parties, Religious Leaders, Traditional Leaders, Non-Governmental Organisations, Civil Society Organisations and the entire citizens of Ghana, able and willing, an opportunity- To reflect on the progress, setbacks, prospects and their challenges in relation to press freedom within the context of the digital age whiles mainstreaming gender perspectives into the matrix.

 Let me be quick to add that such an exercise must prioritise the need for the media to educate and entertain with the view to equipping people to make informed decisions and choices based on credible information. This noble task must at all times discern and defend the national interest. Also the safety of Practitioners must at all times be protected and defended.

I do not want to make incursions into the comedy of errors that plagued the broadcast of the decision of the Panel which sat on the interim measures brought before it by La Cote D’Ivoire in the ongoing Maritime Boundary Dispute between them and Ghana, our beloved country, at the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea.

I have chosen not to use vivid examples to allow all stakeholders to feel free to participate in today’s celebration with the hope that we shall all ‘go and sin no more’.  

 Credit goes to the media in Ghana that it reflects a beautiful mix of gender in the industry and also in its management. You must not only sustain and improve on this achievement but also decide purposefully to be thicker on issues relating to gender in your reportage.

Gender equality and media safety in the Digital Age is therefore certain to receive a good measure of attention as we strive as a country to counter the negative influences of ICT particularly on our unsuspecting youth.  

 

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is true that the media industry is becoming much more complex in the wake of digital and citizen journalism. Oftentimes there have been discrepancies in the work of the media, in terms of people’s right to true information and their responsibility to be fair and factual.

I am referring especially, to the speed with which people, such as citizen journalists put out information on social media without caring to cross-check their facts and figures. I am also referring to the indecent haste with which reputable media houses, traditional/conventional pick such information and publish them as the gospel truth without cross-checking. By engaging in such practices, you need to ask yourselves whether you end up crucifying the principles of sound journalism, ethics and law or you advance the frontiers of this noble profession?

In recent times, we have been called upon on several occasions to help protect the privacy of individuals being negatively portrayed on social media. It is significant to note that these requests have come from all sides of the political divide including non-politicians.

We cannot and must not sustain such practices. Through multi-stakeholderism in internet governance we shall implement appropriate measures to bring rights and responsibilities within Ghana’s cyberspace into alignment.

I encourage the calls for responsible practice of journalism. Let us understand that the greatest threat to Press Freedom can come from authoritarian regimes, thank God we have overcome that, but I dare say it can also come from induced or voluntary irresponsible practice.

Government is desirous of the passage of the Right to Information Bill and we believe it would help improve the free flow of information which is critical to good governance and above all, raise the quality of reporting and help reduce speculative journalism.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

Government will continue to support the National Media Commission and the National Communications Authority to work together to promote media development in Ghana. This year we shall endeavour to ensure that proceeds from the TV License Fees will be equitably distributed among the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, The National Media Commission and the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association. Cabinet has also decided that the Film Industry benefits from the TV License Fees because in a digital world content is as good as the numerous broadcasting houses that will proliferate once we migrate from analogue Television broadcasting to digital.   

Let us work together to promote free and responsible media. Let me take this opportunity to wish the Ghanaian media well and to congratulate you, especially, all women in the media in Ghana.

 

Thank you.