The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition with funding support from the Hewlett Foundation, on last Wednesday, 28th August, 2024, organized a one-day training workshop for journalists from both public and private media houses.
The workshop which took place at Anita Hotel in Ejisu of the Ashanti Region, aimed to equip journalists with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively report on the Auditor General’s findings, thereby, promoting increased transparency and accountability around public financial management.
The training session, covered a range of topics, including presentation on Ghana’s Audit System and peculiar areas for journalists as well was as a presentation on how to use the Right to Information Law and Registrar General records for storytelling and fact-based reporting on the Auditor General’s report.
On behalf of Dr. Eric Oduro Osae, the Director General of the Internal Audit Agency (IAA), Mr. Alhassan Fuseini, Deputy Director, Projects Coordinating and Monitoring Unit (PCMU) of the Internal Audit Agency (IAA), took the participants through Ghana’s Audit System, where he trained them on the differences between public sector internal and external audits, nature and form of public accountability, public accountability structures, PFM structure in the public sector, critical areas for the media -reviewing audit reports, responsibility of the auditor-general including many others.
Seth Joseph Bokpe, an Associate Editor of the Fourth Estate (MFWA) on his part trained the participants on how they can use the Right to Information Law requests and Registrar General records for storytelling and fact-based reporting on the Auditor General’s report.
He thoroughly took them through the structure of the RTI Law (Act 989) submission and form of request process, exempted information, time and limit of compliance, the appeal and review process, fees and charges involved in requesting information from an institution and what journalist must do to fully utilize the Right to Information Law.
Participants were also taken through practical sessions as well as group assignments to demonstrate their understanding on the training.
Addressing the media, the Executive Secretary for the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition, Mrs. Beauty Emefa Narteh, explained that, the motive behind the workshop is to positively influence the work and reporting of journalists to the general public.
She further urged the participants to increase their reportage on the Auditor General’s report and also conduct follow-up to their reports especially that of institutions that have been sighted in the Auditor General’s report.
“We aimed to positively influence journalist on their work and reporting to the general public. We expect them to increase media reporting on the Auditor General’s Report and we want to see follow-up to their reports.
“Including reporting on the various institutions that were sighted as to how they have addressed the issues that were raised or the misappropriations that were raised in the Auditor General’s report.” She said
Mrs. Beauty Emefa Narteh continued, “we have also added how to request for information using the RTI Act, so with that we expect the journalist to use that to access additional information that they will need to bring a better picture and clarity to issues that they are reporting on. This is to increase transparency and also increase accountability to citizens.”
The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition’s initiative to train journalists is part of its broader mission to promote transparency, accountability, and good governance in the country. The coalition hopes to empower the media to play a role in holding those in power accountable and exposing wrongdoing.
The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition is made up of thirteen (13) Institutional members namely, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), Ghana Audit Service (GAS), National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Public Procurement Authority (PPA), Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-GHANA), Ghana Conference of Religions for Peace (GCRP), Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), Good Governance Africa (GGA-WARO), Ghana Journalist Association (GJA), Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) and the Private Enterprise Federation (PEF)
Source:elvisanokyenews.com