GJA to dialogue with members

The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has said that it was determined than ever before to dialogue and carry out measures that would compel members to show greater commitment to qualitative journalism to achieve greater professionalism in the coming year.

It said all mechanisms and processes under its aims and objectives that morally required members to respect the GJA code of ethics would be strengthened as well.

In an end of year message issued in Accra and signed by Gifty Affenyi-Dadzie, President of the GJA, said the Association had taken note of situations where some individuals had misconstrued growing media assertiveness to be media dictatorship.

"The GJA recognises the importance of fairness, objectivity and tolerance on the part of media practitioners and would do all it could to promote media civility and responsibility in the country".

The message said, the Association recalled with pride the role the media played last year in ensuring a peaceful and free and fair elections that ensured the first ever change of government through the ballot box with transparency and credibility.

The message reminded all journalists of their constitutional mandate to hold government and all public holders accountable to the people adding, "we equally wish to stress the need for that mandate to be carried out responsibly with fairness and objectivity"

The Association urged all Ghanaians to exhibit the habit of listening to others no matter how irritating their ideas might sound - even those they consider foolish and erratic - for they too have the right to share their opinions with others.

The message urged all journalists and the general public co-operate with the association's ethics committee to enable it carry out its work as the self- regulatory body of the profession.

The GJA thanked the government, institutions and organizations, which have collaborated with it in its efforts to promote press freedom and high journalistic standards in the country and looked forward to further co-operation in the years ahead.