A Coalition of Media Association is making a strong case for Journalists to be added to the list of frontline workers in the COVID-19 fight and be given proper recognition and incentives.
The Coalition which is made up of the GJA, Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association, GIBA, PRINPAG and Women in Media, ASWIM at an emergency news conference in Accra said Journalists, while reporting are greatly exposed to the virus and deserve to benefit from the stimulus packages announced by the President for frontline workers.
President of the GJA, Roland Affail Monney, said the media has shown great resilience in putting the national interest at the forefront of its reportage on the COVID- 19 pandemic. He said it is imperative that the government supports the fourth estate to keep the populace informed.
The news conference follows the announcement by President Akufo Addo that some frontline Health workers will get a three month tax holiday, a 350 thousand cedi insurance among others. According to the president of the GJA, Roland Affail Monney, the government needs to be applauded for that in the management of the COVID-19 fight.
However, he said all government’s efforts would have come to naught if the media had not echoed the publicity and education of the national COVID-19 response team. He said the conditions under which the media are working in this trying times require financial and logistical support to spread its tentacles wide.
The Executive Secretary of GIBA, Gloria Fiadzi asked for tax incentives to cushion media houses.
The President of PRINPAG, Edwin Arthur, was of the opinion that the prevailing conditions are crippling the operations of newspaper Houses. He said the situation is rather worse for private newspapers.
Adding her voice to that of her colleagues, the president of ASWIM, Mavis Kitcher said taking cognizance of the power of the media, members of the group will be embarking on a sensitisation drive in the markets to drum home the importance of social distancing and other COVID-19 protocols especially among women.
