General News of Friday, 24 October 2003

Source: GNA

GJA President advises journalist

Accra, Oct. 24, GNA - Ms. Ajoa Yebaoh-Afari, President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) on Friday called on all factions within the Association to close ranks and support the new executives to build a stronger body to move the Association forward. She said, "the Association had attained a high pedigree, both locally and international and this, we must all uphold and build upon through strict adherence to the basic tenets of our profession."

Ms Yeboah-Afari made the call during a courtesy call on the Management and Staff of the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra by the new GJA Executives to fraternize with the members.

Other members includes; Mr. Frank George Asmah, Vice President, Mr. Bright Blewu General Secretary, Mr. Affel Monny, Deputy General Secretary, Mr.James Macauley and Mr. Mathew MacKwame Executive Members. The GJA President said adopt strategies to screen the Association of charlatans and other impostors, who often drag the image of Journalists into disrepute and public ridicule.

Other members of the executives in their interventions urged Public Relations Practitioners and other organisers of programmes to insist on proper accreditation of people who pose as journalists to their functions.

"Impostors should be handed over to the police and that the effort of the GJA to instil discipline, professionalism and rid the Association of fakes would not yield the desired result if society fails to help." Mr. Boakye Dankwa Boadi a Chief Editor of the GNA appealed to reporters not to re-echo insults that are been raided on journalists and that wherever the insults are coming from, they remained there.