The Right to Information remains an essential tool for journalists and citizens to ensuring accountability in governance, however, for various reasons it is not given the due recognition and impetus.

In Ghana the bill is over 17 years old, going in and out of parliament despite a supposed commitment by successive governments. In Nigeria, it took 11 years to have it passed into law, but enforcement is a major challenge, especially because the media seem highly polarized and the work of journalists is somewhat undermined by the high commercialization of news and direct influences of owners.

Despite the shortcoming; ie. The non-existence of a Right to Information law, the media in Ghana is playing an active role in ensuring good governance; independently, and through collaboration with credible CSOs, although more can still be done.

Among the recent achievements in this regard are the suspension of the mandatory tow levy, suspension of the DVLA first aid kit charges, decisive action against illegal small-scale mining and closure of an illegally operating Chinese-owned tomato factory.

Media Houses such as Citi FM continue to champion this effort, going beyond the archaic perceived role of the media only being disseminators of information to being advocates and campaigners for justice, good governance, and accountability.

Again, not just on air or online, but on the ground; this is the way forward – progressive 21st-century media.

Within CSOs can be found expertise, network, credibility, and independence while media organizations are a wealth of credibility, fearlessness, wide coverage, creativity in story-telling and influence, which can be merged galvanized to for good governance and accountability especially in Africa.

What must be done:

CSOs must endeavour to involve journalists in the planning and execution of programs and campaigns to ensure that the accurate, newsy and relevant perspectives are highlighted.

CSOs must deliberately build partnerships with media organizations to promote their collective interests

Regular CSO-Media interactions must be held to plan and execute development campaigns.

Media practitioners must build their capacities to understand the context and content of the work of CSOs.

About the Roundtable meeting

The event was organized by the International Center for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) Abuja-Nigeria with the aim of discussing ways of forging a partnership between CSOs and the media to ensure accountability and good governance.

Representing CSOs in Ghana at the event Youth Empowerment Synergy (YES-Ghana); a youth-focused independent organization working towards the promotion of a sustainable and productive future for young people in Ghana.

The roundtable meeting was funded by the Ford Foundation.

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By: Jonas Nyabor (Journalist with Accra-based Citi FM)

The post Media – CSO partnerhsip for good governance; my perspective from Nigeria [Article] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Click here to read more from the report.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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This is as a result of the high number of relatively young new entrants after the 2016 December parliamentary elections.

While this cannot be used to accurately predict the effectiveness or quality of work of the House, it suggests a high level of interest in national politics and governance by the youth.

The infographic below captures the brief facts on ages of MPs in the new Parliament.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Ghana’s 7th parliament – The age dynamics [Infographic] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

His call comes on the back of an earlier appeal by the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Charlotte Osei to Ghanaians and the various political parties involved in this year’s elections to be patient and allow it effectively carry out its duties.

The President, in a tweet on Friday morning also assured Ghanaians “we’ll make Ghana proud no matter the outcome” of the elections.

Let’s allow EC to carry out its constitutional mandate. We’ll make Ghana proud no matter outcome.

— John Dramani Mahama (@JDMahama) December 9, 2016

Following a keenly contested general elections across the country on Wednesday, December 7, supporters of the various political parties especially the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and major opposition party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have been anxious ahead of the official declaration of results. 

‘NPP declares Akufo-Addo winner’

Ahead of the official declaration of results by the EC, the New Patriotic Party has insisted that it’s Presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo has taken a significant lead in the race and thus will be the country’s next president.

Addressing a press conference at the party’s national headquarters in Accra on Thursday [December 8], the National Youth Organiser of the NPP, Sammy Awuku, said the party’s own analysis from the elections show Nana Akufo-Addo was leading with 5,441,642 votes ahead of NDC’s President John Mahama’s 4,497,477 votes.

“From the declared results at the constituency alone, we can provisionally say we have won a clear parliamentary majority with a minimum of 149 seats. No threats of machinations can change this.”

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Allow EC to carry out mandate – Mahama appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The facts are presented in the infographic below.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post 5 election facts to remember [Infographic] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Nurudeen in a statement on Thursday said, “I certainly did not know what his [Awal Mohammed] real motives were but considering how spirited he defended the party on radio, nobody, in his wildest imagination, would believe he would pitch camp with our bitterest political opponents at this crucial moment.”

He said the occurrence was unfortunate for the party in the Ashanti Region but exposed the plight of NDC communicators in the region.

Abass Nurudeen lamented that the former NDC communicator “was doing 10 radio stations a week on the average at his own expense but has been unemployed for four years.”

“So how did anyone expect a married man with two kids like Awal to survive if the ruling party cannot take proper care of its working foot soldiers. What on earth will be the motivation to keep dying for it? But then All this is as a result of leadership paralysis on the communication from in the Ashanti region.”

Awal Mohammed, who was the Deputy National Communications Officer for Zongo Caucus, the official wing of National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Zongo communities on Wednesday announced his defection to the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).

He his defection was based on his “principles and convictions”.

He said he was disappointed the NDC did not state any policy to address concerns of the Zongo community in its recently launched manifesto.

Awal Mohammed added that he believed the as a party had failed to tackle the high unemployment situation in the country resulting in untold hardship on many people.

But Abass Nurudeen in his statement said “I do appreciate the fact that different people play different roles to keep the party going but choosing to be a communicator exposes one to a whole lot of hazards and if there is nothing to show at the end of the day then it gives real cause for concern.”

“As a party, I think it is past time that we instituted welfare schemes to incentivize our rank and file lest we run the risk of losing some of our finest. This is a wakeup call to the powers that be,” his statement concluded.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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