Journalists told to uphold tenets

The President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has urged Journalists to remain committed to the tenets of the profession and fight for the underdogs in society.

He urged the media in the country not to relent in fighting injustice wherever it is found, saying it was the only way to preserving the nation's young democracy.

Mr Ransford Tetteh who made the statement at a special vigil held in honour of the late Samuel B. Ennin, Ashanti Regional Chairman of the GJA at a special vigil held in his honour at the Ghana International Press Centre said it was better to continue having the ugly noises from journalists than to have a dictatorship.

He described the late Ennin as someone who worked hard to bring journalism to higher standards all along.

“He was always out to know what was next in line to do for his region.”

Mr Ennin graduated from the Ghana Institute of Journalism in 1991 and did so well during his internship at the “Free Press” that it was no surprise when the “Free Press” offered him a job as a reporter soon after he graduated from the Institute.

He won the Best Environmental Reporter in 1998 at the GJA Awards.

Mr. Affail Monney who read a tribute for Mr Ennin asked “Chairman Ennin” as he insisted to be called to forgive the world for its cruelty, “since death is never kind and so you too are gone; gone just like all others once born.

“But we know you are not too far away; you have just passed over to the other side, where we all are headed. One by one we cross the river; so we shall see you again some day,” he said.

Mr Monney called those who shot and killed him as cowards who will never win.

He commended his dedication and commitment to work for the development of journalism in Ghana and this came as no surprise to many who knew him in his student days at the Ghana Institute of Journalism, where he graduated with a Diploma in Journalism in 1991.

“He was an active member of the Student Representative Council of the Institute, politely argumentative and was a hard debater who stood for justice and for the weak and poor in society.”

The Reverend Brian Cocker, Chaplain of the Valley View University in a sermon, prayed for the family of Mr. Ennin and asked God to give them a heart to continue.

Meanwhile, the Greater Accra Branch of the GJA has described as disturbing that almost 48 hours to the burial of Mr Ennin, not a single arrest has been made, nor has the police come out with any information indicating that they were close to it.

A statement signed by Mr Gideon Sackitey, Chairman of the Branch said the turn of events gives the impression that people could do anything and get away with it.

“We want to trust the police to do a thorough job, except that sometimes it takes too long; to the extent that when something does come out finally, it eases no pain.

“We implore the police to quicken the pace of their investigations, as if it was one of their own, and for the public in the area to volunteer more information than they have done so far.”

Source: GNA