Three Media houses, gov't committed to peaceful elections, Thursday, March 1, 2012
Three media houses and the government have committed themselves to ensuring that the country goes through peaceful elections in December.
By the undertaking, the media houses are to ensure accurate, balanced and fair reportage, while the government and the political parties are to ensure decent electioneering.
The Office of the Vice-President, the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), Western Publications Limited (WPL), publishers of the Daily Guide and other newspapers, and TV Africa expressed their commitment by signing the Institute of Public Relations (IPR) PR Book.
While the Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, and a Deputy Minister of Information, Mr Samuel Okudzeto-Ablakwa, signed on behalf of the government, Mrs Gina Blay signed for the Managing Director of WPL, while Mr Kwaw Ansah, the Chief Executive Officer of TV Africa, endorsed the document on behalf of his company.
Other individuals who have signed the book are Mrs Shola Safo-Duodu, the President of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana, and the Founding Father and Fellow of the IPR, Mr Joseph Allotey Pappoe.
By signing the book, the organisations and the individuals have committed themselves to promoting peaceful, free, fair, decorous and violence-free elections.
Other media houses and all the political parties in the country are expected to endorse the document which, among other things, seeks to reduce acrimony and the use of intemperate language that characterises elections in the country.
The Managing Director of the GCGL, Mr Ken Ashiegbey, who signed the book on behalf of his company at a short ceremony at the offices of the IPR in Accra, pledged the GCGL’s commitment to provide accurate and balanced reportage before, during and after the elections.
The 2012 elections, he stated, were an opportunity to elect a chief executive for the country, a process which did not deserve a drop of blood.
“Let us cross the bridge of the 2012 elections, coming out of it stronger and well positioned to take advantage of all the opportunities that will come to us as a nation.
“If it goes very well, Ghana’s democratic credentials in the international community will be enhanced further and attract investments.
We all need to play our parts in ensuring free and fair and credible elections,” he said.
The managing director stated that the GCGL, as the leading print media organisation in the country, had a major responsibility to ensure that the elections were free and fair and the electorate empowered with the needed information.
He said the company would show leadership in the use of decorous language and also serve as a platform for all shades of opinion, in addition to ensuring that the campaign process was driven by issues.
“Our goal as a company will be to ensure that the best ideas that put the Ghanaian at the centre of the development of the country win,” Mr Ashiegbey stated.
The signing of the book also formed part of activities marking the 40th anniversary of the IPR.
The institute will use the year-long celebrations to discuss themes related to consolidating the image of Ghana as a peaceful and democratic nation.
Commenting on the theme, “IPR @ 40: Consolidating the image of Ghana as a peaceful and democratic country”, Major Albert Don-Chebe (retd), the President of the IPR, stated that the institute acknowledged Ghana’s peerless status as a beacon of stability, peace and progress within the West African sub-region.
He, however, observed that in spite of the country’s progress on the democratic path over the years, politicians had reduced election years into verbal wars.
“Ghana’s existence as a stable country after the 2012 elections is very critical. It is, therefore, very important to ensure that people remain decorous in their public expressions in order not to endanger the country’s peace,” he said.
As part of the IPR @ 40 celebrations, the institute will organise a series of lectures.
The lecture series, according to Major Don-Chebe, were intended to reduce the negative banter that characterised the speeches of spokespersons of the various political parties.
He said it appeared that the various spokespersons of the political parties thought their job was to outdo one another, instead of engaging their opponents in healthy debate on policy choices.
Major Don-Chebe, who said he had witnessed the genocide in Rwanda, said misguided comments on a radio station had sparked off the conflict in that country.
By the undertaking, the media houses are to ensure accurate, balanced and fair reportage, while the government and the political parties are to ensure decent electioneering.
The Office of the Vice-President, the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), Western Publications Limited (WPL), publishers of the Daily Guide and other newspapers, and TV Africa expressed their commitment by signing the Institute of Public Relations (IPR) PR Book.
While the Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, and a Deputy Minister of Information, Mr Samuel Okudzeto-Ablakwa, signed on behalf of the government, Mrs Gina Blay signed for the Managing Director of WPL, while Mr Kwaw Ansah, the Chief Executive Officer of TV Africa, endorsed the document on behalf of his company.
Other individuals who have signed the book are Mrs Shola Safo-Duodu, the President of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana, and the Founding Father and Fellow of the IPR, Mr Joseph Allotey Pappoe.
By signing the book, the organisations and the individuals have committed themselves to promoting peaceful, free, fair, decorous and violence-free elections.
Other media houses and all the political parties in the country are expected to endorse the document which, among other things, seeks to reduce acrimony and the use of intemperate language that characterises elections in the country.
The Managing Director of the GCGL, Mr Ken Ashiegbey, who signed the book on behalf of his company at a short ceremony at the offices of the IPR in Accra, pledged the GCGL’s commitment to provide accurate and balanced reportage before, during and after the elections.
The 2012 elections, he stated, were an opportunity to elect a chief executive for the country, a process which did not deserve a drop of blood.
“Let us cross the bridge of the 2012 elections, coming out of it stronger and well positioned to take advantage of all the opportunities that will come to us as a nation.
“If it goes very well, Ghana’s democratic credentials in the international community will be enhanced further and attract investments.
We all need to play our parts in ensuring free and fair and credible elections,” he said.
The managing director stated that the GCGL, as the leading print media organisation in the country, had a major responsibility to ensure that the elections were free and fair and the electorate empowered with the needed information.
He said the company would show leadership in the use of decorous language and also serve as a platform for all shades of opinion, in addition to ensuring that the campaign process was driven by issues.
“Our goal as a company will be to ensure that the best ideas that put the Ghanaian at the centre of the development of the country win,” Mr Ashiegbey stated.
The signing of the book also formed part of activities marking the 40th anniversary of the IPR.
The institute will use the year-long celebrations to discuss themes related to consolidating the image of Ghana as a peaceful and democratic nation.
Commenting on the theme, “IPR @ 40: Consolidating the image of Ghana as a peaceful and democratic country”, Major Albert Don-Chebe (retd), the President of the IPR, stated that the institute acknowledged Ghana’s peerless status as a beacon of stability, peace and progress within the West African sub-region.
He, however, observed that in spite of the country’s progress on the democratic path over the years, politicians had reduced election years into verbal wars.
“Ghana’s existence as a stable country after the 2012 elections is very critical. It is, therefore, very important to ensure that people remain decorous in their public expressions in order not to endanger the country’s peace,” he said.
As part of the IPR @ 40 celebrations, the institute will organise a series of lectures.
The lecture series, according to Major Don-Chebe, were intended to reduce the negative banter that characterised the speeches of spokespersons of the various political parties.
He said it appeared that the various spokespersons of the political parties thought their job was to outdo one another, instead of engaging their opponents in healthy debate on policy choices.
Major Don-Chebe, who said he had witnessed the genocide in Rwanda, said misguided comments on a radio station had sparked off the conflict in that country.
Comments
Post a Comment