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As Ghana heads towards a crucial presidential and parliamentary elections in December, this year, Journalists and media practitioners have been admonished to keenly observe professionalism in their reportage.

As the elections are drawing closer and political campaigns intensify, many peace advocates fear the elections will be marred by violence as politicians use media platforms to attack and willfully vilify their opponents.

It is against this backdrop that, the Upper East Regional Media Advisory Committee organized a media encounter workshop to remind the media on their role in sustaining peace in the country before, during and after the December 7 polls.

Speaking at the forum which was held in Bolgatanga of the Upper East Region, an educationist and a member of the Upper East Regional Media Advisory Committee, Alfred Ndago, challenges the media to avert irresponsible reportage and also avoid entertaining politicians who have an agenda to orchestrate negative activities that could breach the existing peace of the country.

He said the media practitioners should allow accuracy, factual and balanced reportage guide them during the December crucial race since a breach of that could trigger violence in the second largest cocoa producer in Africa.

He also called on media owners and Chief Executive Officers, CEOs to endeavor to provide some training to their reporters, especially the amateurs, who would be playing a role in the elections so they would be acquainted with the tenets of the profession and elections related reports.

A member of the Upper East Regional Peace Council, Reverend Eric Adjei Nmai, on his part, underscored the need for press men and the media to strictly heed ethical and professional standards, adding any misinformation and inaccurate reportage could plunge the nation into chaos in the mood of the December general elections.

"The media must comply with high ethical and professional standards. We have seen terrifying examples of how the media have functioned in countries like Rwanda, Ivory Coast and Kenya in inciting and inflaming passions in the manner of contributing to fuel conflict and post-election violence", he added.

He, thus, admonished all Ghanaians, including the politicians to avoid any acts of violence, saying violence would effectively reverse the clock of progress in the country.

The Upper East Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCOP Simon Afeku, who honored the programme, disclosed 949 out 1,222 polling stations in the region were identified as flashpoints and urged each and everyone in the region to put all hands on the wheel to support the police square off criminal activities in the region, to pave way for violence-free elections come December 7.