A day’s workshop for media practitioners on the theme “The role of Journalist in developing an evidenced based policy and drug strategy for Ghana” has been slated for Wednesday, August 5 in Accra.

It is being organized by the Ghana Chapter of the West Africa Drug Policy Network and the West Africa Behavioural Health Addiction and Recovery Management Foundation (WABHARM-Ghana), in collaboration with the West Africa Civil Society Institute and the International Drug Policy Consortium, as well as the Open Society Initiative for West Africa.

A statement issued by the Ghana Chapter of the West Africa Drug Policy Network and copied to the Ghana News Agency said the training aims at providing media practitioners with an increased understanding of the term addiction and its different models, including the role of the brain in the process of addiction.

It said participants would be exposed to the unique challenges faced by drug users in integrating into society.

It noted that this training would enhance the participants’ understanding of the socio-economic impact of drug addicts on families, communities, regions and the country.

The statement said the training would enable journalists to better understand the relationship between drug and alcohol addiction to petty crimes, trigger offences and organised crime, in relation to socio-political issues like national security, governance and the entire political process.

It said the training would empower local media practitioners with knowledge on the latest scientific evidence on addiction, historic approach versus novel approach to drug policy issues.

It said these would sharpen the journalist’s reporting skills and would guide media practitioners in their reporting of addiction related topics from an informed perspective.

The statement said the training would also invoke critical reflections from media practitioners, aimed at shaping better policies, that would facilitate the process of tackling the impact of drugs through informed, humane and coordinated policy.

It said the workshop would sharpen the journalist’s understanding and reporting skills on events related to drug trafficking, use and drug policy in Ghana.

The statement said the training seeks to sharpen the journalist’s understanding of drug issues in the country, in view of harnessing their information gathering and reporting skills on drug related issues.

It said the training would provide an opportunity for participants to gain a better understanding of how they could utilize their unique positions, as opinion leaders and agenda setters in Ghana, to strategically and consistently cover drug related issues in the country in a way that would holistically benefit all sectors of the Ghanaian populace.

The statement said applications are open to media practitioners working in Ghana, adding that, the instructive course was open to all journalists in Ghana.

It said applicants must submit the following documents: Detailed curriculum vitae. This must show their current role in the media industry or position in a media house if it applies.

Others are a one page letter of motivation stating the following: why they want to take part in this course, and how they would use the knowledge gained from this course, and how they perceive the current reportage of drug related events and how it can be enhanced.

It observed that applicants who have previously published stories related to drug issues in the country are highly encouraged to apply.

It said they must provide links or clippings of previous reports on any drug related issue if available.

The statement directed that all applications must be submitted to Emmanuel Bensah via email ekbensah@gmail.com and ‘cc’ Maria Goretti-Ane via email mariagorettiane@yahoo.com on or before Wednesday July 29, 2015 by 1700 hours.