Liz Ohene takes swipe at Journalists

The Minister of State in charge of Tertiary Education, Elizabeth Ohene on Saturday took a swipe at Journalists when she advised students not to take journalism as a profession but instead study hard and venture into other professions.

She said although she was the editor of the Daily Graphic for five years and worked with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) for about 19 years, she had regretted for taking journalism as a profession.

Ms Ohene who was addressing parents, students and staff of the Berekum Secondary School (BESS) as the guest speaker at the celebration of the school's 35th anniversary and fifth speech and prize giving day said: “ Journalists claim to know everything in the world but they know nothing.”

This was after the headmaster of BESS, George Adjei-Henne in his welcoming address had advised the students to study hard to become accountants, doctors, bankers, lawyers, engineers and journalists.

Ms Ohene in her presentation said, “ When I was working with the BBC together with Robbin Cook, we rejected journalists who sought employment but rather employed professionals such as lawyers and engineers.

She therefore advised students not to aspire to become journalists but strive to secure high profile professions.

Ms Ohene's remarks surprised the entire dignitaries present including the Brong Ahafo regional minister, Nana Kwadwo Seinti, Deputy Interior minister, Captain Nkrabeah Effah Dartey (retd), the Vice Chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba, Prof Jophus Anamoah-Mensah, President of the Ghana National Association of Teacher (GNAT) J.K Adjei and the DCE for Berekum, Kwabena Kyere-Yeboah.

They started murmuring among themselves with some of them shaking their heads in disbelief because they did not expect such comments from Ms Ohene who is a journalist herself.