Accra (Greater Accra) 04 May 2002 - A Retired Diplomat, Mr K. B. Asante on Friday urged government to develop and maintain a responsible link between it and the media as an institution to help it to promote the tenets of true democracy in the country.

Government, he said, could do this by making available a steady flow of accurate information to journalists on all issues of national interest in order to manage conflict situations effectively. "In all this, however, the press should be allowed to function freely while the government administration machinery gets on top of the information flow," he said.

Mr Asante was speaking at a forum to mark World Press Freedom Day, which is celebrated on 3 May every year to promote human interaction and inter-communal understanding. The theme for this year's celebration world-wide is: "Terrorism and Media," but the local theme was: "The Media, Conflict Management and National Stability."

Mr Asante said although experiences of the past years might make it uneasy for journalists to trust government, it was necessary that government recognised and promoted a healthy relationship with the media. However, he warned, that while there was the danger of the media losing its watchdog role when in close contact with government and in the process becoming its mouthpiece, good and responsible journalists could always avoid such pitfalls.

He described as dangerous recent government undertaking to censor reports on the Yendi conflict, saying that such attempts to curb media freedom would inevitably lead to rumour mongering, which the government would find difficult to control.

Mr Asante asked the government to use the tenets of probity and accountability to promote the truth and the public interest. He asked journalists to be alive to the cultural values, understand the psychology of the people and to act responsibly in conflict situations.

Mr Asante said while the press were at liberty to report on conflict situations, they should, however, ensure that the manner in which their reports were presented did not inflame passion that would endanger the peace of the country. "Freedom of the press must be used to protect the national interest and promote stability," he said.

The Minister of Information and Presidential Affairs, Mr Jake Obetsebi Lamptey said he was happy that there was no conflict between the government and the media although he admitted that there was tension. He said the blend of absence of conflict and a bit of tension was good for the country and urged the media not to hype up the tension.

Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey asked the media that since there would always be conflict situations in the country, it was important for media practitioners to be circumspect in their reportage so as not to excite revenge killings. He tasked journalists to research more into conflict situations so as to speak authoritatively on the issues to ensure national stability and cohesion.

Mr Nutifafa Kuenyehia, Chairman of the National Media Commission, noted that any confrontation between the government and the media would be to the detriment of the people. It was in this connection, he said, that the media should always seek peaceful and non-adversarial methods in resolving or managing conflicts to promote social harmony and national stability.

He said last year, the Commission received 102 complaints, out of which 56 cases were resolved with only two going in favour of the media. There were also 100 rejoinders. Mr Kuenyehia said, the Commission had by the close of April received 35 complaints and 20 rejoinders, adding that out of the eight cases determined so far, only one media house had been vindicated.

"The statistics given paints a picture of high level of irresponsibility on the part of some media practitioners," he said. "The Commission believes that if they had been a little bit circumspect or investigated the matter properly, the picture could have been different."

Mrs Gifty Affenyi-Dadzie, President of the Ghana Journalist Association, said the association remained committed to co-operating with all relevant state agencies so as to maintain peace and manage conflict situations that would otherwise have serious national repercussions.

She said the GJA was in the process of revising its code of ethics to provide ample guidelines on reportage during conflict situations. Mrs Affenyi-Dadzie, however, cautioned that although the Association was prepared to co-operate, it would not tolerate wrong doings.

"We shall, therefore, not condone excesses of the security apparatus and our elected representatives, who are entrusted with the management of the country, either during normal times or even periods of state of emergency," she stressed.

She said it was in the interest of the country that such abuses were exposed and dealt with than being swept under the carpet. Mr Joerg Bergsterman, Resident Director Friedrich Ebert Foundation, said there was always the need for journalists to guide and build on their freedom since it could always be infringed upon.

Mr Pascal Ott, the Co-operation Attach? at the French Embassy in Ghana, said the Embassy would continue to support the media to promote human rights and the rule of law. The GJA, the United Nations and the Ghana flags were hoisted to mark the day.