Journalists have been urged to remain committed to promoting peace and national development and avoid allowing the media to become a tool for inciting conflict.
News Editor with Adom Brands, a subsidiary of the Multimedia Group, Dr David Okyere Akwesi Agyeman, made the call at the launch of World Unity and Peace International.
He said the media must draw lessons from past tragedies, particularly the 1994 Rwanda genocide, where irresponsible broadcasting contributed to fuelling violence that claimed thousands of lives.
“There are a lot of countries on the globe that have plunged into conflicts. Rwanda has become an example to everybody in this world, particularly media practitioners,” he said.
Dr Agyeman noted that the role of journalists goes beyond informing, educating and entertaining the public, stressing that the profession carries a greater responsibility to contribute to societal transformation and national progress.
“Our core mandate is not basically about informing, educating and entertaining. It’s about assisting society to transform and develop. It’s about peace,” he emphasised.
He reminded media practitioners of the influence they wield through their reporting, saying the information they publish has a direct impact on society.
“We have the power. Whatever we put out there is what our public will consume,” he noted, urging journalists to uphold professionalism and adhere to ethical standards.
While acknowledging the media freedoms guaranteed under Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, Dr Agyeman cautioned against abusing those rights.
“If we take it for granted, the generations yet unborn will never forgive us,” he added.
He also urged journalists not to become instruments in the hands of politicians, traditional leaders or other influential individuals seeking to create division or unrest.
“When policymakers, traditional rulers and politicians are getting ready to drive this country into chaos, we should be able to stand there, look straight into their eyes and tell them, ‘No’.”
Dr Agyeman further paid tribute to veteran journalists whose sacrifices helped secure press freedom in Ghana, urging the current generation to safeguard that hard-earned legacy.
“Don’t let us use the media to create conflict but rather to help our country to grow,” he concluded.
