The West Network for PeaceBuilding Ghana (WANEP-Ghana) a non-governmental peace advocacy organization is intensifying its efforts in ensuring violence free and peaceful 2012 general elections. The Network is also strategising to ensure that all stakeholders in the election process embrace peace before throughout this year's general elections and beyond.
As part of the efforts, WANEP-Ghana has provided a two day training for journalist in Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions to equip them with requisite knowledge on reporting. The workshop which was under WANEP-Ghana media responsibility project is aimed at increasing media responsibility with regard to reportage in conflict and war situations.
Addressing participants, the National Network Coordinator of WANEP-Ghana, Justin Bayor expressed hope that all efforts would be put in place to promote peace in the run-up to the 2012 elections. WANEP-Ghana is also engaging women and youth groups of the various political parties in the three northern regions to sensitize them about the need for violent free 2012 elections.
The training was under the auspices of United Nations Development Program human Security Project (UNDP/HSP) and the World Association of Christian Organizations, a Canadian based NGO.
The Executive Director of WANEP-Ghana Emmanuel Bombande calls for support of one another to ensure peaceful co-existence in the society. Mr Bombande underscores the importance of the media in ensuring peace in the world, saying stakeholders in peace building can never succeed without the media. He, however, urged media practitioners to exhibit high sense of professionalism in the discharge of their duties for the interest of the country. Mr Bombande stressed that, the media is the mediator between the private sector, the society and the world as a whole in any conflict and urged them to play their roles devoid of bias to ensure national cohesion.
A lecture at the school of communication studies of the University of Ghana, Professor Audrey Gadzekpo took the journalists through topics such as fundamentals of journalism, war journalism, and peace journalism among others. Professor Gadzekpo entreated journalist to beware of their source of information as some of their authenticity can be very challenging. She reminded journalist about their code of ethics in order not to indulge in promoting hatred in the society.
{jcomments on}]]>
