The Ghana Journalists Association in the Central Region is calling for a paradigm shift in how media practitioners operate.
Ahead of its maiden “Press and Chills” convention this Friday, regional leadership is urging journalists to move beyond being mere “messengers of information” to becoming active champions of the region’s growth.
The GJA Central Regional President, Kingsley Nana Boadu, says it is time for the media to use its collective voice to fix the region’s developmental gaps.
He explained that the theme of the upcoming maiden Press and Chills “Together, Our Voices Matter” is a call for media houses to stop working in silos and instead synchronize their research and advocacy to force action from duty bearers.
“So, of course, we’ll be carrying information as part of our job, but we will have to be carrying out research on our own…we should be setting some agenda for the region’s development,” he said on the Atlantic Wave ahead of the event.
He questioned the current impact of statutory bodies like CEDICOM and the long-dormant Komenda Sugar Factory, and called for independent research into why these organisations are underperforming, with advocacy for the necessary changes.
Beyond the networking, the “Press and Chills” event, scheduled for Friday, February 27th, will address the often-neglected issue of journalist welfare and the professional grooming of student journalists from institutions like UCC and UEW.
Mr. Boadu admitted that while the vision for a more vibrant regional press is clear, funding remains a significant hurdle.
He made a passionate appeal to “friends of the media” and corporate bodies to support the initiative, which he believes is crucial for the welfare of those who tell the region’s stories.
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