By Jones Anlimah
The National Media Commission (NMC), has inaugurated a seven-member Volta Regional Media Advisory Committee ahead of the upcoming 2024 general elections. The move is aimed at ensuring fair, accurate, and responsible media coverage before, during, and after the electoral process.
Performing the inaugural ceremony at Ho, the Volta regional capital, the chairman of the NMC, Mr Yaw Boadu Ayeboafo, urged media practitioners in the region to support the committee to help uphold ethical standards, encourage balanced reporting, and address any challenges that could undermine media integrity in the region.
The committee, which consists of seasoned media professionals and stakeholders, is expected to play a crucial role in monitoring and advising media outlets in the Volta Region. Their responsibilities include overseeing the adherence to ethical standards, ensuring balanced reporting, and addressing any challenges related to media practices that may arise before, during and after the election period.
Members of the 7-member committee include Most Rev. Emmanuel Kofi Fianu S.V.D Catholic Bishop of Ho Diocese, as chairman; Ms. Yaa Opuni Amankwa, Registrar of the University of Health and Allied Sciences Ho; and Bruce Senam McBrain, Deputy Regional Manager, Methodist Education Unit.
Others include Dr. George Mawusi Afeti, former Rector of Ho Technical University; Mr Anthony Bells Kafui Kanyi, Ghana News Agency; Andrews Dodzi Adugu, Esq., Senior State Attorney; and Mr Nenorla Kwashie Gidiglo, retired Educationist.
The Volta regional Director of the Electoral Commission, Mr Eric Dzakpasu, underscored the importance of the media in promoting peace and stability during elections. He urged the committee to work diligently to prevent the spread of misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation, as well as inflammatory content that could potentially incite violence or unrest in the region.
“It’s very important that the EC is able to inform stakeholders and participants in whatever activity is going on, when it is going to take place, where it is going to take place, who are the main actors and political players, and how are they to participate. So in this context, fake news and misinformation has a very far-reaching significance and can be very devastating on electoral outcomes,” he remarked.
The Chairman of the National Media Commission, Mr Yaw Boadu Ayeboafo, said the establishment of the committee underscores the NMC’s commitment to promoting a free and fair election through responsible journalism in the region. He expressed confidence that the committee will effectively collaborate with media houses, journalists, and other stakeholders to uphold the principles of media freedom and democracy throughout the electoral process.
“The media advisory can only speak to us, and it is only when we listen to them that we will make the difference. Once they have accepted this responsibility of advising you, it will be very, very difficult on their part to be the first to disown you. To say that what you are doing is not good. Because the moment that they say that what you are doing is not good, it becomes abominable. And that is the reason you must give them the utmost recognition and respect; don’t think that you are holding the microphone, and therefore you want to do whatever that you want to do.”
The Chairman of the Volta Regional Media Advisory Committee, Most Rev Emmanuel Kofi Fianu S.V.D., expressed gratitude for the trust placed in the team and acknowledged the importance of their role in upholding ethical journalism during the elections. He pledged the committee’s commitment to ensuring fair and balanced media coverage, emphasising the importance of collaboration with local media houses to maintain the integrity of the electoral process in the region.
“We continue to count on your cooperation and guidance so that our activities, as in previous years, in the areas of educating media Personnel, educating our population about the work of the National Media Commission, particularly about the election and monitoring of the wavelengths, online and publications, so that everything done in this region will be in line with ethical journalism,” he noted.
As the 2024 general elections draw near, the inauguration of the Volta Regional Media Advisory Committee is a timely reminder of the critical role that media oversight plays in safeguarding democracy. The committee’s efforts will be crucial in ensuring that the media serves as a pillar of support for free and fair elections in the Volta Region.
