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Minister for Information, Mustapha Hamid, has suggested that conflict reporting should be made a key course in media and journalism schools across the country.

The Minister believes a comprehensive course in conflict reporting will offer the opportunity to journalists with interest in the area to acquire a deep knowledge of the area and improve reporting standards.

Mustapha Hamid made the suggestion when he addressed an audience at the launch of a manual on conflict-sensitive coverage at the Legon Centre for International Affairs and Diplomacy (LECIAD).

He also emphasised the need for more training opportunities for media professionals to prevent escalation of conflict-related issues.

Dean of the School of Communication and Information, Prof Audrey Gadzekpo, who organised the workshop for journalists from West Africa last year said Ghana is not really a peaceful country as perceived by many.

She notes that all the ten regions of Ghana have conflict hotspots that worked against economic progress and has advised that government took the issue of conflicts seriously.

Prof Gadzekpo urged the journalists who participated in the conflict-sensitive reporting workshop to adhere to the guidelines in the manual in order to give accurate reports on conflicts.

Last year, journalists from selected West African countries were trained in conflict reporting which resulted in the launch of the manual on conflict sensitive-coverage.