The third cohort of the Media Capacity Enhancement Programme (MCEP) initiated by the Ministry of Information has been launched.
It is a training programme that offers the platform for journalists and media practitioners to build their capacities in their area of practice.
In addition, it is to enhance the knowledge and crafts of participating in journalism and build them to be more professional in their practice as a measure to safeguard the country’s fledgling democracy.
This year’s event slated from September 10 to 13, 2024, takes place at the University of Media, Arts and Communications (UniMAC), Dzorwulu Campus, in Accra, will be opened to practicing journalists and media practitioners across the country.
Launching the cohort in Accra, last Thursday, the Minister of Information, Fatimatu Abubakar, said more than 100 journalists had benefitted from the programme since its inception in 2021.
She said the programme, funded by the government through the ministry, was intended to offer refreshing courses for media practitioners to improve the quality of their work, enhance ethical journalism and promote professionalism.
The minister said the whole essence of the training was to equip journalists with the requisite skills to enable them to hold duty-bearers accountable.
The Chairperson of the MCEP, Gloria Hiadzi, said 40 journalists out of the 100 selected for the training would participate in the in-person training while the remaining 60 would join the training via online.
Some experience media lecturers and experts from renowned journalism institutions would take the trainees through various modules including; Impact Journalism, Media Ethics, Media Law, Media’s Role in Socio-Economic Development and Nation Building, Digital Media and Online Journalism.
In all, 100 journalists and media practitioners working in the various radio, television, newspaper and new media outlets would benefit from this year’s cohort.
Interested journalists could apply for the training through a Google portal from August 23, 2024, and the portal for application would be uploaded onto the Ministry of Information’s social media handles.
BY CLIFF EKUFUL
