Prof Kwamena Kwansah-Aidoo, Rector, Ghana Institute of Journalism, has urged Bloomberg-trained financial journalists to report accurately in the wake of the global economic hardship. 

He said with the seemingly global economic meltdown, the populace needed accurate information.

“The populace needs you to report on the current trends in very basic language, with all the things you have learnt here, please get them informed.” 

Prof Kwansah-Aidoo said this at the graduation of 88 journalists, who were presented with certificates and awards after undergoing six months Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa (BMIA) Financial Journalism Training in Ghana. 

The BMIA is a Pan-African programme designed to accelerate the development of a globally competitive media and financial reporting sector to promote transparency and accountability in Africa. 

Partner institutions in the training are the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) and University of Ghana Business School (UGBS). 

The Rector said the training had provided participating journalists with substantial insight in financial reporting.

“We are convinced that this training has enhanced financial literacy amongst this cohorts as you have been equipped to withstand the rudiment of financing,” he said

Mr John Ntim Fordjour, Deputy Minister for Education, said the Fourth Estate had a role in promoting cohesion and unity through their strength, skills and power.

He said: “Beyond this training, all the skills that you have achieved, if the right voice is not trumpeted the wrong voice will be heard.”

“It was important the 88 voices be heard and heard very loud and clear to provide clarity where there is need to be able to install the confidence that we have in the financial market and the public ever ready to be guided by the information at any point in time,” Mr Fordjour said. 

He said the Ministry of Education was proud to have lent its support to the training from the inception to completion and looked forward to new ones.

The BMIA was launched by Mike Bloomberg in South Africa in 2014 to enhance the quality of financial coverage and the availability of reliable and timely data on the continent. 

Scheduled in two phases, the programme was implemented in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa between 2015 and 2017 in phase one and over 500 journalists and mid-career professionals trained. 

Phase two of the training was launched in Ghana and Zambia in January 2019.

It was launched in Tanzania in September 2019 with each country having two intakes. 

Out of the 88 graduates, 30 of them were females, representing 34 per cent, 58, representing 66 per cent were males.