Sir Sam Jonah, Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, has asked journalists to use their pens and voices to uphold peace, fairness and democratic principles as Ghana goes to the polls in December 2024.
Citing previous incidents in Ghana’s elections, he said the sad saga of the people of Santrokofi, Akpafu, Lipke, and Lolobi (SALL), the killing of innocent voters at Techiman and the unprecedented electoral violence at Ayawaso should not occur again, as they remained a scar on the country’s collective conscience.
“We must all resolve that these unfortunate chapters in our more recent history will never be repeated,” he said, adding that, journalists “should endeavour to be the bridge over troubled waters, ensuring that every Ghanaian, irrespective of political allegiance, finds solace and strength in the truth”.
Sir Jonah said this when he delivered the keynote address in Accra on Wednesday at the launch of the 75th anniversary celebrations of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) on the theme: “75 years of excellence in journalism: Honouring the past, embracing the present, shaping the future”.
He raised concerns about the “perceived weaponisation of State agencies against opponents, the creeping assault on freedom of the press, the perceived lack of trust in the dispensation of justice, and the pathetic lack of accountability in the protection of the public purse”.
Those issues, Sir Jonah noted, required journalists to be patriotic, fearless and courageous in their fight to defend the interest of the nation.
He reminded journalists that, as the Fourth Estate of the nation’s democracy, they wielded a lot of power, with their ability to frame political discourse, influence public opinion, and hold leaders to account.
That, he said, meant that, journalists should exercise their power with highest level of responsibility and ethical rigor.
“I implore you to be the standardbearers of objectivity, the architects of informed discourse, and the unyielding defenders of freedom and truth,” he said.
Sir Jonah entreated members of the GJA to bear in mind that the Association was more than a collection of individuals, stressing that, it served as a symbol of the nation’s resilience, aspirations, and unwavering pursuit of progress.
He charged journalists to take inspiration from the gallant men and women who laid the foundations of the Journalism profession and defined its ethos in the country.
“As we move forward, let us remember the sacrifices made by those who came before us, journalists who laid down their lives for the pursuit of truth and justice.
“It is upon their legacy that the future of Ghanaian Journalism will be built—a future where truth prevails over sensationalism, integrity over corruption, and where the pen remains mightier than the sword in the fight for democratic integrity and national unity,” Sir Jonah said.
