The Most Reverend Dr Paul Kwabena Boafo, Chairman of the Christian Council of Ghana, has urged the media to be more professional in their reportage in the lead up to the 2020 elections.

He said as the country prepared for the December general election, the media needed to go back to the Ethics of their profession and avoid sensationalism that could fuel tension and conflicts before, during and after the elections.

He described the media as a critical force in the promotion of peace and urged them to live up to that responsibility.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Accra, Rev. Boafo, also the Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church, Ghana, said the media “hold a strong key to our very peaceful existence”.

“They give out the news to the people, which can be true or false so they should make sure that our people have the right information.”

“They need to do proper background checks to the stories they churn out.”

Rev. Boafo asked the media not to entertain “tune-ins’’ that could promote insults and cause confusion in the country.

He said the media should also avoid burning issues, which could cause conflicts and problems for Ghanaians.

“Some people don’t know how to analyse and manage information, and so it is the media’s role to anaylse and manage information for us”.

Rev. Boafo said when information was managed well it helped to inform the people better to make informed decisions in selecting the people to lead the nation.

The media should be able to manage information that flows within the society to ensure national unity and cohesion, he added.