A round table discussion on conflict-sensitive reporting has been organized for some selected media outlets in the Upper East Region.Apexnewsgh.com report The interactive discussion was initiated by the Upper East Regional Peace Council in collaboration with the West African Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP-Ghana). The programme gave the opportunity to the leadership of the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) in the region to take journalists through the GJA Code of Ethics. The Vice-Chairman of the Upper East Regional Chapter of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Osman Muntawakilu has called on journalists to make sure they verify the source of every information on disposal before publication. He added: “To avoid retraction and rejoinders, stories should be balanced, “differentiate between facts, opinions, and commentary such that news is presented objectively without embellishment”, he stated. Meanwhile, another member of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), William Nlanjerbor Jalulah when given the opportunity to explain more about the GJA Code of Ethics, praised media personnel in the region for their professional conflict report skills. He further advised colleague journalists to make sure they always protect confidential sources of information, because that is the only way we can build trust and confidence among ourselves, especially through information delivery. Mr. Ali Anankpieng the Upper East Peace Council Regional Executive Secretary, during his submission, advised journalists to focus on what he described as ‘truthful journalism’ which he believes is one aspect of ‘peaceful journalism’ where journalist takes a moral stand to report the truth in a balanced fashion an idea he borrowed from Johan Vincent galtung a Norwegian sociologist and the principal founder of the discipline of peace and conflict studies. Conflict Mitigation Coordinator at West Africa Network for Peacebuilding, Ghana (WANEP-Ghana) Mr. Ben Kasimu Wumbla said, conflict-sensitive reporting is important to them because, their early warning reporting at WANEP-Ghana, when they go through newspapers, websites to pick some report from journalist’s atimes generates another conflict. Meanwhile, explaining the role of Agriculture Governance Resilience and Economic Empowerment (AGREE) Mr. Kasimu said, they are trying to build resilience in agriculture and also build resilience within the structures they are working with for them to be able to manage conflict, COVID-19, and more especially for the women to improve their economic livelihoods through the serial value- chain. The programme came through Northern Ghana Governance Activity, a project supported by USAID through the feed the future initiative. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
