The Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), has called on media practitioners to demand transparency and accountability to help fight corruption in the oil and gas sector.
According to the Executive Director for ACEP, Dr. Mohamed Amin Adam, corruption still persists within the oil and gas sector because media practitioners have largely been unable to conduct independent research and investigation to address the canker.
[contextly_sidebar id=”Bj3rsNPyQyNXrjHN6z3mTdUvRs2XQvnh”]“Media personnel haven’t done well in terms of leading the discussions around oil, doing the investigations by themselves on all the corruption and other vices that are happening, including the fact that project funded with oil money are not completed and some cannot even be traced. I haven’t seen media practitioners take that leadership role because some of the information that eventually gets to Ghanaians is processed.”
The executive director urged journalists to confirm data given before publishing it.
Dr. Adams however applauded the media platform for its immense contribution to the development of the oil and gas sector.
“The media as a platform has held a number of key actors accountable to the people by publishing and reporting on issues relating to contracts, corruption, signature fraud cases and lately how the oil money is being used in the country. As a platform it has been used to proffer proposals that we think might help government.”
Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam was speaking to Citi News on the sidelines of a graduation ceremony for 28 ACEP media fellows and the launch of the Oilmoney TV.
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By: Felicia Osei/citifmonline.com/Ghana