The Private Newspaper Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG) has sworn in its new executives from the just ended elections. They were sworn in by Chairman of the National Media Commission, Mr. Yaw Boadu Ayeboafoh, at the International press centre in Accra, on Tuesday.
The new executives are Mr Andrew Edwin Arthur, President; Mr Michael Antwi-Agyei, Vice-President; Mr Emmanuel Opare-Djan, National Organiser; Mr Jeorge Wilson Kingson, Public Affairs Officer.
Mr. Yaw Boadu Ayeboafoh urged the newly elected executives to live up to the standards of the work. He added that it is important for Ghanaians to understand that the framework within which the media operate is that of the social responsibility theory and not libertarian.
“Libertarian suggests that you can say whatever you want, but social responsibility demands that you must be responsible for the things that you say, which means you are free to make a comment or statement, but after you have made that statement, take responsibility of them”, he told the gathering.
He appealed to the Ghanaian media to take time and thoroughly investigate and establish all the facts, because when the facts are established the journalist can defend himself or herself anywhere, but when there is no basic fact, the journalist will be found wanting.
Delivering a speech after the swearing in ceremony, the President elect of PRINPAG, Edwin Arthur, stated that the immediate past administration achieved a lot for the Association, during its three-year period in office.
He said the immediate past executives worked in a selfless manner and as a result collectively achieved some appreciable results.
Achievements
He continued that the Association did not have an office space at the time it took over in the year 2019. It, however, solicited for funding support and managed to provide the current office premises, which accommodates the Secretariat of the Association.
Also, the Association did not have a Constitution, but that has been resolved, as they now have a Constitution that serves as its working document.
Mr. Arthur, who has been the president for the past three years, added that the past administration also championed the building of a credible data base, not only for Newspaper Publishers and Online News Portal Owners and their Editors, but also for all those who work with these media Establishments.
“With the development of this data base, we are able to ensure that no media practitioner working with any PRINPAG member is left out of our training programmes” he mentioned.
As part of improving the capacity and knowledge base of PRINPAG members, he admonished that his outfit secured some training programmes that were sponsored by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), the Bank of Ghana and Eximbank, which went a long way to broaden the horizon of our members in the operational areas of the sponsoring institutions.
Speaking on distribution of adverts, the newly elected President said “Plans are far advanced to intensify our engagement with NPA, NLA, COCOBOD and the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources to consider involving the executives of PRINPAG in the placement of adverts in the various newspapers and Online News Portals.
Problems
On issues that undermine their work, he bemoaned the manner in which the media is being handled by the Government and its media handlers.
“We do appreciate their efforts but the plain truth is that, they are still handling the media using anachronistic policies and strategies, which are not workable in these contemporary times.
“We urge them to have a paradigm shift and to engage more with the media Associations to save the Ghanaian media from falling into an abyss”.
He concluded by urging the general public to play by the rules in times of media excesses as it is also important for media practitioners themselves to be disciplined in their approach to the practice of journalism in this country.
“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,” he indicated.
