The Campus Broadcasting Association of Ghana (C-Bag) has been launched in Accra with a call on members to encourage discussion on campuses and challenges affecting various universities.

C-Bag has also been charged with the responsibilities of changing directions and focusing on their goals of training and helping to develop communication skills among students instead of seeking to compete with commercial radios.

Dr Charles Wereko-Brobbey, a Policy Analyst, who made the call at the launch on Tuesday, noted that the establishment and launch of C-Bag is an important idea especially when it is situated among future leaders.

He said there are many issues that ought to be engaged by campus radios to broaden the minds of C-Bag members and the people they seek to inform.

“There are many issues which should engage campus radio and peculiar among them are education, and academic freedom,” he said.

Dr Wereko-Brobbey however advised members not to make the Association a trade union but rather use it to train and develop the large society.

“The struggle to make radio independent is over, rather, the struggle to liberate the campuses is what I charge C-Bag to do,” he said.

Nana Jantuah, President, C-Bag, said the idea of birthing the Association started more than 10 years ago.

He explained that it is the goal of C-Bag to build the capacity of the youth in broadcasting and bridging the gap between them and the nation.

Nana Jantuah indicated that, though C-Bag provides community education, entertainment and specialisation of programmes for their listeners, they have been forgotten over the years.

He called on stakeholders to offer C-Bag the needed assistance to make their goals worthwhile on the various University campuses.

Mr Claus Stacker, Head of Programmes Africa, Deutsche Welle (DW), said the future of Africa in the media is with the youth and called for a string linkage between Ghana, C-Bag and DW.

“Academic freedom is being eroded in Ghana, and the campus radio could become the tool to liberate the campuses,” he said.

Launching the Association on the theme: “Campus Broadcasting - A Seed for National Development,” Mr Ato Sarpong, Deputy Communication Minister, lauded members for playing the crucial role in cementing the media discourse in the country.

He advised members to inform the public with facts, provide insight, inspire, and drive the country to a positive action.

“Encourage, affirm instructions and derive the country towards investment,” he advised.