The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), in partnership with telecommunications company, MTN Ghana, is embarking on a project aimed at improving reportage on telecommunications in Ghana.
The goal of the project is to enhance the media�s role in creating public awareness to foster greater public interest and contribute to issues relating to operations in the telecommunications sector.
The project will encourage media managers to designate telecoms reporters who will specialize in the field.
The project, which will last for three months, will include a four-day intensive skills and knowledge-based workshop training, experiential tours, practical stories production by trainees and periodic post-training review sessions.
At the launch of the project in Accra, Prof. Kwame Karikari Executive Director of MFWA said, �As an organization committed to the promotion and advancement of freedom of expression, we recognize first and foremost the importance of telecommunications in enhancing, advancing and expanding people�s rights to freedom of expression as well as enhance the promotion of good governance and democracy.
�And these are the principle reasons we believe the media must take seriously the challenge of enhancing and improving coverage of the subject.�
Prof Karikari stated that in reporting on telecommunications, the media must, among other things, engage themselves with issues bordering on new developments so they will be able to communicate them to the public for their knowledge and capacity to adapt the new innovations.
He noted that �the training programme is an important activity to enhance the media�s role in what is called development communication.�
The Executive Director of MFWA urged all the telecommunications operators and organisations, businesses, institutions and regulators to support MTN�s initiative to set up a fund which will be managed by the Telecoms Council to support the long-term training programme for media practitioners.
On her part, Cynthia Lumor, Corporate Services Executive of MTN, said the telecommunications industry plays a key role in the development of a country.
�Journalists must understand telecommunications comprehensively both as a tool in their professional work and as subject so that when they set the agenda and lead the public discussion, they do it from position of real knowledge,� she affirmed.
She said MTN remains committed to promoting excellent journalism in Ghana, adding, �we will therefore continue to do the best we can to explore more opportunities for the benefit of our media who have to overcome challenges everyday in their bid to keep our valued customers well informed.�
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