Civic Journalists Society holds press conference

Accra, June 9, GNA - The Civic Journalist Society (CJS), a nongovernmental organisation made up of media practitioners, on Wednesday held a press conference to press down their demands for all citizens to ensure peace during the forthcoming Election 2004.

The Organisation, formed to champion the cause of good journalistic practices as well as ensure that society was educated on their civic rights, would soon come out with a programme known as "Know The Constitution" to further educate the youth on their civic rights and responsibilities.

Mr Haruna Mohammed, National Coordinator of the CJS, noted that knowledge on civic rights and responsibilities were gradually diminishing from the society and that, had been the root cause of indiscipline.

He said the success of the elections largely depended on the media and called on the Government and other organisations to support the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) to carry out its educational programmes.

Mr Mohammed stated that lack of funding and inadequate resources were but a few of the problems of the NCCE, "but it needs resources to be able to carry out educational programmes that will best prepare the electorate well for the coming elections."

He called on politicians to learn to dialogue on issues... "since certain sensitive issues can generate into hot debates that could even create political instability in the country".

He further called on the media to shift its attention a bit to other aspects of equally important national issues instead of focusing on politics alone for a long time.