The 2018 International World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) was yesterday launched in Accra, to among others, encourage the Ghanaian media to patronise the event.
Slated for May 2 to 3, the global celebration will for the first time be hosted in Ghana and will bring together media practitioners and leaders from across the world to discuss and highlight the challenges that infringes on the rights of journalists.
The Minister for Information, Mr Mustapha Hamid who launched the programme said Ghana's 26th position on the World Press Freedom Index was attained through hard work and speaks volumes about the nation's credentials as regards the freedom of the press.
He stated that Ghana's media was a proud one and media practitioners ought to be proud of themselves despite their shortcomings.
The Information of Minister stated that the Right to Information Bill would be enacted into law by the end of the year to pave way for easy access to information and accountability.
He encouraged the media to continue educating, entertaining and informing the public for national development.
Dr Hamid was positive that the WPFD to be held in Ghana would bring to the nation other salient opportunities.
Commenting on the theme 'Keeping Power in Check: Media, Justice and the Rule of Law' the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation's (UNESCO) Country Representative to Ghana, Dr Tirso Dos Santos said, the day would be observed with numerous information sharing session.
The day, he said, would be celebrated concurrently which an academic conference at the University of Ghana, where research finding on media would be presented and discuss ways to protect the rights of journalists.
The celebration will according to him, create a platform for recognition prominent media practitioners whose rights have been violated in line of duty.
"A youth newsroom will be created to host about 40 student journalists, 20 from journalism training institutions in Ghana and the other 20 student journalists, from across the world to provide live coverage for the event after which their experience would be compiled and documented for future purposes," he said.
The President of the Ghana Journalists Association, Roland Affail Money, stated that freedom was of essence to the journalism profession and a fuel for democracy.
He entreated the Ghanaian Media to register for the programmes latest by March 30 and take part of activities lined up for the celebration of the day.
Topics to be discussed at the various information sharing sessions include covering election and electoral complaints, challenges in times of media misinformation, how access to information can lead to development in Africa, artistic freedom in the digital age, the role of press freedom in societies and many more.
The World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in December 1993, following the recommendation of UNESCO's General Conference and has since then been celebrated on May 3 worldwide.
This year's event would be hosted in Ghana by the Ministry of Information, UNESCO, the Ghana Journalists Association and the International Federation for Journalists among others.
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