German Ambassador says journalists should be well trained

Accra, July 27, GNA - The media are key players in any modern democracy and it is of utmost importance that journalists are well-trained professionals in the best sense of the word, the German Ambassador in Ghana, Mr Peter Linder said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of a seminar Deutsche Welle organised on reporting for radio at the Radio Broadcast Development Foundation, the Ambassador noted that freedom of the press, which was without doubt a great asset and achievement in Ghana in recent years, called for reliable reporting and trust in the conveyed messages and facts.

"Since the Radio is very often the only source of information in the villages, journalists have not only the possibility but also the responsibility to inform and educate their fellow citizens. "Therefore, the media and the journalists are important development partners, partners within the context of the Ghanaian society and also partners of the donor community."

The seminar was put together through the intensive cooperation of various institutions, the Radio Broadcast Development Foundation (RABODEF), the German Development Service (DED) and Deutsche Welle. Mr Linder said one of the three focus areas of German-Ghanaian Development Cooperation revolved around Good Governance. "I believe in the strong role Ghanaian journalists play in Ghana today in transmitting well researched facts and profoundly investigated stories in a responsible way, thus contributing immensely not only to the information but also to the general public's involvement in the country's affairs."

Mr Linder said this was underlined by a statistics recently compiled by the "afrobarometer" survey published from the Centre for Democratic Development, which showed that 80 per cent of Ghanaians expressed trust in the government and independent broadcasting service. He congratulated the participants, organisers and facilitators of the seminar and expressed the hope that they all gained a lot from new ideas and practical tolls, which would benefit their daily work.