The Minister for Information, Honourable Fatimatu Abubakar has cautioned the media to verify their source of Information before they publish. According to the minister, failure to do so will erode the trust Ghanaians have for the media.
The Minister sounded the word of caution when she paid a courtesy call on the management of F Giant media as part of her stakeholder engagement with selected media firms in Accra.
Hon. Abubakar noted that the government was counting on the media to use their medium to unite the country rather than create fear and panic especially when the country was inching into an election period where people may be tempted to misinform and disinform the public with the slightest opportunity.
“If you try to do things that will plunge the country into a cross fire, as a Ghanaian where will you go. We have nowhere else but Ghana so we should use our medium to preach peace and unity”, she appealed.
The Minister appealed to the media to desist from taking the law into their own hands but rather take advantage of the support programmes initiated by the ministry including the establishment of the office of the Coordinated Mechanism on the Safety of Journalists (CMSJ) and seek redress especially in the period of elections where tensions may heighten and the possibility of abuses and attacks on journalists arise.
Hon. Abubakar took the opportunity to also inform management of F Giant Media on the Ministry’s 3rd cohort of the Media Capacity Enhancement Programme (MCEP) which is expected to take off in June and encouraged them to register their staff when they open the portals for registration. she added that the programme is expected to train 100 Journalists.
She encouraged them to take advantage of Ghana being the host of the Regional Office for International Fund for Public Interest Media (IFPIM) and apply for funding to enhance their operations.
She also entreated the media to support the passage of the Broadcasting Bill which according to her was ready for consideration by Cabinet following successful reviews and validation by the various stakeholders.
The management congratulated the Minister on her elevation and assured her of their support and also to do their work with utmost responsibility.
Source: MOI (PR Unit)
