GIBA Must Use Stations To Keep Government Accountable

Ambassador Kabral Blay-Amihere, Chairman of the Ghana Media Commission, has asked members of the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) GIBA to use their platforms to monitor the performance of the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary to ensure they deliver in the public interest. However, he cautioned, their media practitioners, should abide by their code of conduct to prevent sanctions, especially, when the Broadcasting Bill is passed into law. Ambassador Blay-Amihere said this at the inauguration of the elected Executive Council for GIBA in Accra. The GIBA Council of Presidents, an advocacy body for the Association was also inaugurated at the ceremony. Mr Blay-Amihere led the two bodies to swear the Oaths of Office and Secrecy. The six-member council has Mr Akwasi Agyemang of Global Media Alliance, radio station as the new President and Mr Samuel Atta-Mensah of Citi FM as the Vice-President. The other members are Mr Andrew Anninkora of Kessben FM, Mr George Fausta Baffoe of Katinka FM and Mr Steve Eshun of Sunny FM, who will steer the affairs of GIBA for the next three years. Chief Dr P.A. Crystal-Djirackor, the immediate past President of GIBA, called on the government to partner and support GIBA to work for the common good of Ghana. �For, it is in this partnership that we can, as a nation, achieve the various goals set for Ghana�s development, growth in our economy and peace within the country,� he said. He advised the executive to cooperate on the matters of paramount interest, saying, the role of GIBA members as broadcasters and their impact on the nation whether positive or negative was in their own hands. Mr Agyemang, said together with his team of council, they would work to ensure the common good of the nation. He said the situation where broadcasters use their media platforms to paint gloomy pictures of the nation must stop. Rather, members must partner government to turn around the fortunes of the country. The new president, Mr Agyemang, also said that the Council would engage the National Communication Authority (NCA) to educate members on digital migration and the Ministry of Communications to ensure the early passage of the broadcasting bill. In solidarity messages, Nii Laryea Sowah, Representing the Private Newspapers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG), expressed concern about extensive review of newspapers contents in the shows �from morning till evening� to promote their stations without payment of compensation to PRINPAG. He said the Association would soon meet with colleagues to deliberate on the issue of compensation. Mr Perry Ofosu of the Institute of Public Relations, urged GIBA to seek professional training for its members so they could exhibit professionalism at all times in their work. Mr Affail Monny, President of Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) emphasized the need for collaboration among the professional media bodies to improve on the media landscape. Also at the inauguration were the chief executives of the various media houses, including Dr Bernard Otabil, of Ghana News Agency (GNA), and Major Retired Don Chebe of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC).