Accra, May 2, GNA - Mrs. Oboshie Sai-Cofie, Outgoing Minister of Information and National Orientation, on Friday said press freedom, coupled with the anti-corruption laws put in place in the past few years, were moving Ghana positively towards a more disciplined society. She said in a keynote address in Accra to mark World Press Freedom Day that free press was crucial for the success of a democratic state. However, she said, there was the need for press freedom to be accompanied by responsibility to be beneficial to all. "I therefore take this opportunity to reiterate to my brothers and sisters in the media the need to focus on issues rather than personalities, insults, political pettiness and the trivial. "In this election year, caution must be exercised by all practitioners not to abuse the freedoms we enjoy by allowing our media platforms to be used for negative political shenanigans that have the potential to disturb the peace and tranquillity of our beloved country. We need to strongly guard our freedoms with an objective and an all encompassing eye," Mrs. Sai-Cofie said.

World Press Freedom Day declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993 is celebrated on May 3 each year to acknowledge that media pluralism and press freedom are essential to development. The Day affords the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) an opportunity to honour the various sacrifices made for the freedom of the press and to remind the government and the people of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression as enshrined in the constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The global theme for this year's celebration is: "Freedom of the Press, Empowerment and Participation of the People."

The Mrs. Sai-Cofie reminded journalists that false information about public figures tarnished the reputation of their subjects, and eroded public confidence in the source of that information. She said the broadcasting industry could increase its self-regulation even ahead of the proposed National Broadcasting Law, to ensure that abusive language, near pornographic material and the exaltation of crime and the use of drugs in film and lyrics were totally expunged from the screens.

Mrs Sai-Cofie reaffirmed Government's commitment to empower all sections of the population to participate in the decision making process. She added; "Government and the media must see themselves as partners in building a society where the rule of law and fundamental human rights is paramount."

Mr. Ransford Tetteh, President GJA, said the Association registered its protest against all forms that created an unsafe environment for media professionals. He said the Association was committed to the values of press freedom. Mr Tetteh called for the expansion of the frontiers of press freedom in the wake of Ghana's discovery of oil. He announced that the GJA and the National Media Commission (NMC) would document threats to media freedom to serve as a guide to all lovers of free speech and media freedom.

A message from the UN Secretary General, Mr Ban Ki-Moon re-echoed a free, secure and independent media as one of the foundations for peace and democracy. He said attacks on freedom of the press were attacks against international law, humanity and freedom itself. "I am therefore, all the more alarmed at the way journalists are increasingly being targeted around the world, and dismayed when such crimes are not thoroughly investigated and prosecuted. "On this World Press Freedom Day, and in this year when we mark the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, I call on all societies to spare no efforts in bringing to justice the perpetrators of attacks on journalists. I pay tribute to all who work in difficult and dangerous conditions to provide us with free, unbiased

information." Other solidarity messages were read from UNESCO, the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, the Private Newspaper Publishers Association of Ghana, the Network of Community Radio Stations and Democratic Freedom Party.