Monday, March 16, 2009

JOURNALISTS PLEDGE SUPPORT FOR B/A MINISTER (GRAPIC NSEMPA, SPREAD)

By Kwame Asare Boadu, Sunyani

MEDIA practitioners in the Brong Ahafo Region have pledged to support the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, in his quest to lead the region to ensure accelerated development.
At a press soiree organised by the Brong Ahafo Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) in Sunyani, the journalists said they all have a responsibility to contribute to the development of the region.
Consequently, they would do everything possible to co-operate with the regional minister to achieve his development agenda for the region.
In his address, the regional chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Mr Charles Koomson, said journalists were not enemies of public officials as some people tended to believe.
He said journalists served as watchdogs and as such they would always move to keep such officials on their toes.
Mr Koomson, therefore, urged the minister not to see certain criticisms from journalists against his administration as an attempt to discredit him.
“We would always ensure that we put forward constructive criticisms,” he added.
Addressing the gathering, Mr Nyamekye-Marfo said he had come to the high office of regional minister with open heart.
“I will be the father for all in the region so that together we can move the region forward in the right direction,” he added.
Mr Nyamekye-Marfo urged the journalists to fee free to contact him for information that would change the face of the development of the region for the better.
He recalled his days as the District Chief Executive for Sunyani in the first NDC administration and said, “I had a nice working relationship with the media.”
“This I pledge to continue because the media have a crucial role to play in advancing our democracy,” he said.
The minister, however, urged the media practitioners to avoid sensationalism and falsehoods that could discredit them as individuals and their organisations.

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