The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) president, Mr Roland Affail Monney, has appealed to journalists to specialise and put more emphasis on finance and economic reporting.
This, according to him would promote rapid development to drive the economy of the country.
Mr Monney made the appeal on Thursday, in Accra when the Consolidated Bank Ghana (CBG) and Newmont Gold Corp (NGC) presented GH₵25,000 and GH₵20,000 respectively to the GJA, to support the 24th GJA awards and 70th anniversary, slated for November 23, this year.
He said that specialisation would enable journalists report alternatively and analyse issues objectively for the benefits of society.
“If you take the issue of alleged coup plot, it will take journalists with expertise in security to analyse issues for the benefits of the society,” Mr Monney noted.
He said there was the need for journalists to sharpen their focus in the area of finance to accelerate economic growth for the betterment of the country.
“We need to do well financially and economically as a country…all these reinforces the need for the media to do more in terms of economic reporting,” Mr Monney stated.
He commended the bank for making strides despite its short existence, saying, “It is all because of good leadership and the will and determination to succeed”.
Mr John K.M Zigah, General Manger, Global Markets of CBG, said the kind gesture was to support the association towards the celebration of the 24th awards and 70th anniversary.
He said journalists needed freedom of expression to play their role in the country’s democratic dispensation.
Mr Zigah stated that his outfit would support the journalist, who would emerge as the reporter of the year in the business, finance and economic category.
Mr Agbeko Azumah, the Director of Communication and External Relation of NGC said, the GJA had been promoting high journalistic standards and media freedom.
He said NGC would support journalist in the category of environmental reporting, as part of efforts to ensure high environmental stewardship.
The vice president of GJA, Mrs Linda Asante-Agyei, said there was the need to rekindle mining and environmental reporting programmes initiated by the association in collaboration with Newmont to curtail illegal mining.
BY ABEDUWAA LUCY APPIAH