To make today’s symbolic GIJ congregation more real, the president, H.E Akufo-Addo has disclosed that GHS 5 Million has been allocated to the Ghana Institute of Journalism to improve its infrastructure.
While speaking at the graduation ceremony that was held at new GIJ site at North Dzorwulu, the President said “an initial, modest amount of GH¢5 million has been allocated to GIJ in the 2018 budget, and the least I can do is to make sure that GETFund releases this money to you as soon as possible to help complete the first of many lecture hall complexes and offices here.”
He assured GIJ of Government’s commitment towards the development of the infrastructural capacity of the institution, a move, he said, would help in providing space for the increased student population who, in the next couple of years, will be seeking admission to this institution, as a result of the Free Senior High School policy.
To members of the graduating class, President Akufo-Addo urged them to “be the generation of Ghanaian media practitioners that refuses to be either victim or pawn, and accepts to travel down the path of genuine popular enlightenment, which represents the strongest guarantee of our national independence and sovereignty. Freedom of expression, encompassing media freedom, is a critical element of that journey, which you must help guard jealously at all times.”
The president had earlier advised journalists to desist from sacrificing their integrity in exchange for today’s sensational headline that often contains misleading information.
“The media has immeasurable power to build up the confidence and values of our society and its institutions, and, therefore, ought to be assisted in being on top of its game at all times,” he said.
“This happens when there is a little twist of facts often to get the best headline, or a publication of the unverified claim in the haste to be first in breaking the news,” he said.
President Akufo-Addo continued, “The worrying trend is that, in many cases, even after the public has been misinformed, and the true facts are later made known, mainstream media often chickens out of an honest open acknowledgement that ‘we were wrong’. The choice is often to sweep it under the carpet, and move on to the next big story.”
Integrity is akin to journalism.
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