Executives of the Private Newspapers and Publisher’s Association of Ghana (PRINPAG) have been sworn-in, at a colorful ceremony held in Accra on Tuesday.
The Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC) Mr. Yaw Boadu Ayeboafo who swore in the Executives urged them to work to advance the frontiers of Journalism as well as ensure adherence to responsible Journalism by the members of the Association.
PRINPAG Executives(from left Edwin Arthur, Michael Antwi Adjei, Emmanuel Opare Djan, Jeorge Wilson Kinson)
He said the success of the new administration would depend on their stringent quest to create a media environment that is devoid of hostility and malice.
The Minister of Information, Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah noted that the Executives are being sworn in at a time when much is expected of them as leaders of a media Association.
“You’ve taken off at the time the expectation is high. Do well to serve your people”, Hon. Oppong Nkrumah urged.
He, therefore, advised the new leadership to “keep up the good works and ensure adherence to media ethics”.
The newly elected President of PRINPAG, Mr. Andrew Edwin Arthur who was elected for the second term in his inaugural address commended the past administration of the Association for the milestone chalked for the Association.
“Mr. Chairman, among others, the immediate past administration achieved a lot for the Association during its three-year period in the office having served the Association dutifully and to the best of our ability, in a selfless manner, and as a result achieved some appreciable results collectively”, Mr. Arthur stressed.
“… Mr. Chairman, it was trite knowledge that the Association did not have an office space at the time we took over in the year 2019, however, we solicited funding support and managed to provide the current office premises, which accommodates the Secretariat of the Association”.
Some of the achievements chalked by the past administration according to the PRINPAG President include the coming into force of the PRINPAG Constitution and the creation of a database, which data base he said was used for the election and selection of members for training programs sponsored by GRA, Eximbank, and the Bank of Ghana.
PRINPAG President, Mr. Edwin Arthur giving his inaugural address
Mr. Edwin Arthur who assured members of a more viable Association which will respond primarily to the welfare of members however admonished members to eschew irresponsible journalism stressing that the Association will deal ruthlessly with members who go contrary to the ethics of the profession.
“It is said that bad press is better than none at all and as a human institution, the media are prone to errors and excesses but when that happens, we should express our disapproval using the basic tenets of the rule of law to deal with the situation.
But Mr. Chairman, while urging the general public to play by the rules in times of media excesses, it is also important for media practitioners themselves to be disciplined in their approach to the practice of journalism in this country and I am happy to announce that, the current executives of PRINPAG have vowed to deal with needless excesses of its members by referring complaints to its newly formed Complaints and Disciplinary Committee and all members found culpable or guilty of such complaints will be dealt with ruthlessly by the leadership of the Association irrespective of individual members and media organizations involved”, the PRINPAG President emphasized.
The GJA President, Mr. Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, in a solidarity message described PRINPAG as an ally and expressed GJA’s commitment to collaborate with PRINPAG to achieve its objective.
GJA President Albert Dwumfour addressing the audience
He said since the welfare of members is a priority for the two Presidents, it was important that they compliment each other for the general good of the members.
“The GJA exists primarily for the welfare of Journalists and PRINPAG also exists primarily for the welfare of Publishers. It is important Mr. Chairman for both Associations to compliment each other for the greater good of the very purpose for which they were established”, Mr. Dwumfour said.
The Ceremony was chaired by Mr. Ben Assorrow who admonished PRINPAG Members to desist from what has largely been known as “ Pro-NPP Journalists and Pro- NDC Journalists saying it is dangerous to our democracy.
Group Photograph of PRINPAG Executibes and all Guests
The new Executives sworn in are the President, Andrew Edwin Arthur, the Vice President Michael Antwi Adjei, the National Organizer, Mr. Emmanuel Opare Djan, and the Public Affairs and External Relations Officer, Mr. Jeorge Wilson Kinson.
Present at the ceremony to grace it include the GIBA President Mr. Cecil Sunkwa-Mills, Representatives from UNESCO, the Togo Embassy, and the Bank of Ghana, among others.
Source: Inghananewstoday.com