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Speaker of Parliament Aaron Michael Oquaye has urged journalists in Ghana to help the nation develop politics based on principles as it prepares for general elections this year and thereafter.

He identified a lack of knowledge as a cause of conflict in elections and called for thorough knowledge of laws of elections and applying them with professionalism to ward off election miscreants.

“If you practice your work with professionalism, you’ll be able to keep your charge,” Speaker Oquaye, said in Accra, at the Parliament House where he delivered the keynote address of the maiden (2019) Parliamentary Press Corps (PPC) Parliamentary Reporting Awards.

The theme of the event was: “The Parliamentary Reporter as an Effective Tool in Promoting Peaceful Democratic Elections.”

The Speaker said the press constitutes a very important institution in the development of democracy, particularly in an election year.

“Wrong information during elections have caused civil wars”, the Speaker observed, and urged journalists to get the legislations on elections, read and digest them to inform their opinions.

Speaker Oquaye urged the journalists covering the activities of the Legislature to be interested in all its activities and be equipped with knowledge on all relevant subjects and issues to ensure an informed, fair, balanced and accurate reportage.

“Parliament is a House of the people. Since all the people cannot come to the House and you are here to tell the people what happens here, you must be interested in all that happen here. How do you do that?

“When you have knowledge, and you know the rules of the game and you convey the messages effectively. That is how you become the bastion of democracy in Ghana,” Speaker Oquaye said.

He said meetings of Committees of Parliament would soon be open to the media, adding that specialization, with thematic approach to subjects would bring out higher quality in their work.

“Get yourself ready for the next step. It’s important that you study to show yourself ready approved of your calling,” Speaker Oquaye, who is also Christian cleric, stressed.