Following concerns that the Presidential press corps is not being treated well, a lecturer at the School of Communication Studies at the University of Ghana, Dr. Etse Sikanku has appealed for the status quo to change.
According to Dr Etse, journalists play a key role in fostering the democracy of the country, hence there must be deliberate efforts to ensure they thrive a conducive environment.
[contextly_sidebar id=”TlHpDDkvf29qAQTWq2qx20SbluG0Q2JN”]Dr. Sikanku’s appeal comes days after the press corps was involved in an accident, leading to the death of the Ghanaian Times reporter Samuel Nuamah.
They were traveling in a hired commercial vehicle after covering the president in the Volta Region.
Industry players have question why they were traveling in a hired commercial bus and not part of the presidential convoy.
Others say that decision mirrors the kind of treatment meted out to the journalists.
Speaking on The Big Issue, Dr. Sikanku said, “The most important thing is that journalists are respected and that journalists do go and travel with the presidential convoy and not in any rickety vehicle.”
“… That they are treated and respected in a decent and in the same manner as people who have a responsibility for informing the public on what the most important public institution is doing,” he stated.
The communications lecturer further described the death of Samuel Nuamah as an unfortunate one.
He also recommended that media organisations reconsider their means of coverage of such high profile assignments.
He suggested they could involve their regional or local reporters across the country.
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By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citifmonline.com/Ghana