Both sides of Parliament support GH¢10m Media Development Fund – Bunkpurugu MP

The Member of Parliament for Bunkpurugu, Dr Abednego Lamangin Bandim, says President John Dramani Mahama’s decision to provide GH¢10 million as seed funding for the Media Development Fund has received broad support from both sides of Parliament.

He said engagements with colleagues from the Majority and Minority caucuses suggested that the announcement had been positively received, with many MPs viewing it as a long-awaited intervention to strengthen Ghana’s media industry.

Speaking on Joy News, Dr Bandim said the President’s commitment had generated favourable discussions among lawmakers, who recognised the importance of establishing sustainable support for the sector.

“Immediately the President announced this Ghc10 million as seed money for the fund, both sides, what I hear is that yes, it is a good thing. We have waited for it for a very long time,” he said.

He described the allocation as a major commitment by a sitting President towards the development of the country's media landscape.

“This is the first time that a president has made such a huge commitment to ensure that we develop our media in Ghana,” he stated.

Dr Bandim attributed the President’s interest in supporting the media, in part, to his professional background in journalism, communications and public relations.

He said Mr Mahama’s experience in the industry had made the announcement unsurprising to those who had anticipated such government intervention.

“People are not surprised because it was expected that it will take President John Dramani Mahama to do this, to make this announcement, to make this commitment, because he’s one of us, a journalist himself,” he added.