Kumasi, March 21, GNA- Mr Osei Assibey-Antwi, Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, has charged journalists and other media practitioners to stimulate, through in-depth writing, the capabilities of the people to solve some of the many problems confronting them.

He said journalists should use their medium to educate the public to change certain negative attitudes such as apathy, waste, laziness, corruption and nepotism, which usually retarded national progress. Mr Assibey-Antwi was speaking at the launch of "Graphic Nsempa", a weekly regional newspaper for the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions in Kumasi on Wednesday.

The Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) publishes the 24-page Akan and English newspaper.

The Deputy Minister said effective communication was essential for rapid social, economic and political development of every human society and reminded journalists on the need to be objective in their approach to duty.

He said it was essential for journalists to investigate issues critically in order to win the confidence of the public, adding that, journalists could only make positive contributions to the socio-economic and political progress of the nation if they enjoy the confidence and trust of the people.

Mr Assibey-Antwi, advised media practitioners to always adhere to the code of conduct and ethics of the profession in the course of discharging their professional duties.

He said government attached great importance to policies and programmes designed to ensure the accelerated development of the country, and urged journalists to step up the flow of information on such policies and programmes to enable the people appreciate and support them.

The Deputy Minister mentioned in particular the poverty alleviation, school feeding and Youth employment programmes as well as the National Health Insurance Scheme and good governance, among others.

He appealed to journalists to also tell the government about the people's reaction to the implementation of these policies. He commended the board and management of the GCGL for the introduction of the newspaper in the regions and called on them to search for information, which would help policy makers to establish and support a development oriented press in the country.

Osahene Offei Kwasi Agyeman 1V, Board Chairman of the Group, said the newspaper, which identified with the cultural values, ethnicity and the way of life of the people in the two regions, would act as the voice of the people in terms of business, social values, politics and eventually promote regional integration, which would embolden them financially and economically.

He said the launch of the regional newspaper, which would later be replicated in other regions was part of the company's expansion strategy to identify opportunities for growth and profitability. Osahene Agyeman said the company hoped to use the newspaper to create a platform for all stakeholders to interact and shape the development agenda of the two regions to help accelerate development.

Right Reverend Daniel Yinkah Sarfo, Anglican Bishop of Kumasi, who chaired the function, asked the publishers of the newspaper to highlight good African values and moral leadership, speak against social vices and negative attitudes and also inform their readers with the virtues of hard work, good neighbourliness and environmental cleanliness.