President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Mr. Roland Affail Monney, has advised Journalists to infuse the highest degree of professionalism and objectivity in to their work, no matter their political affiliations.

He said, Journalists as every responsible citizens, also vote during elections and can confidently say majority of them vote wisely.

According to Mr. Monney, the way we vote as Journalists should not be a predisposing factor to determine how our work should be done, urging that we learn to separate our voting patterns from Journalism.

Mr. Affail Monney, made this thoughtful appeal in his submission during a collaborative engagement with the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs (MoPA) and the Civil Society Organisations (CSO’s)

The GJA President, also used the podium to remind Journalists of the code of ethics, which clearly states that “the public have the right to a true, fair, objective, balance and comprehensive information”.

“I know some Journalists are intractably NPP and some NDC, but your NPP-NDC views should not stand in the way you do your work professionally

Because our responsibility, as far as the elections is concerned, is not only to ensure the freeness, the transparency and the fairness of the election but also to ensure that at the end of it all, both the losers and winners can be comfortable”. He reiterated.

President Affail Monney, also highlighted some prime responsibilities of Journalists which is to ensure that Journalists objectify the way they do their work, and to make sure Journalists tighten their gatekeeping instincts by ensuring that whatever they put out there is ethically and morally wholesome for reader consumers to consume and make the right decisions.

He added that, as far as this year’s election is concerned, our main objective should not only be shifted to ensure the fairness in it, but also to assist the voting population in making an informed and intelligent decision at the polls.

He said Ghanaian Journalists have a duty to either maintain the good record, and this can only happen when they overlook their partisan interest and infuse professionalism and objectivity in to the work.

The ministry’s objective for the engagement was to Examine the context within which the 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary you elections would be conducted.

They also sought to Analyse the perspectives CSO’s can bring to shape the conduct of a free, fair and transparent elections, as well as review the growing challenges confronting CSO’s in performing their democracy enhancing roles.

Story: Editor/www.newslinegh.com

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