A former Member of the Council of State, Hon. Mrs. Gifty Affenyi Dadzie, has called on the media to sustain the media campaign in the fight against the illegal mining (galamsey) menace while demonstrating positive defiance against the influential individuals behind the menace in their reportage.
While commending the media in Ghana for the significant contribution and progressive landmarks in national development and the fight against ‘galamsey’, she quickly revealed that available information suggests that some influential individuals were behind the menace and stood to gain at the state’s expense.
“The beneficiaries of ‘galamsey’ are powerful and would not easily give up irrespective of the dangers to our water bodies and environment,” he stressed.
Giving a synopsis of the cost involved in treating water for use and the future implications on the country, she reiterated and passionately appealed to the media to keep the pressure and sustain their campaign against the menace in the interest of future generations.
She further indicated that the gross disregard by persons involved in the menace pointed to the gory state of the moral conscience in the country today and reflected an existential threat to the environment and livelihood.
Delivering a paper on the second day of the two-day National Development Conference organised by The Church of Pentecost at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa near Kasoa, on the theme “Moral Vision and National Development: The Role of the Media,” Mrs. Afenyi Dadzie, who is also the National Prayer Director for Aglow International, called on Church leaders in Ghana to also preach/teach on morality and responsible citizenship to the congregants, especially in the face of the current predicament facing the nation.
She opined that the Church must engage with the media and other stakeholders in shaping the moral vision and national development since any compartmentation will not affect the country’s interest, especially the future generation.
The former Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) President also decried some excesses perpetrated by some persons against media practitioners in discharging their duties. She was, however, quick to add that the media also has a responsibility to ensure that their reportage is always in line with the mandate of accountability and watchdog role.
“The media should not downplay the role and importance of rejoinders in the journalistic work but take cognisance of the Article 62 of the 1992 Constitution,” she advised.
Touching on corruption and its tendencies in the media, she called on the GJA, NMC and others in the media regulatory space to advocate for a reasonable compensation regime for practitioners since there are currently ‘some very poor salaries,” citing a study by the School of Communication Studies of the University of Ghana to validate her assertion.
PENTECOST NEWS.