Africans have for so long under-utilized the potentials of women under the guise of culture and that needs to be changed, Mr. Bright Kwame Blewu, General Secretary of Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) said on Friday.

Addressing members of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) in Accra, Mr. Blewu said men who had been in the forefront of leadership for a long time in Africa have also been sources of conflicts on the continent and women and children bore the brunt.

“Probably if we have been trying men all these while and the continent is faced with conflicts and war, then it is the time to give women the chance to deliver because they are more passionate about developmental issues,” he said.

The 25 female journalists led by Mrs Peace King-Kporvie, Host on Vibe FM, a local Ghanaian radio station and Mrs Julie Ekrong, Vice-Chairperson, NWOJ as part of their five-day visit to Ghana, called on the Executives of GJA to interact with members.

Dr. Doris Yaa Dartey, Gender and Development Adviser, GJA and Mrs Linda Asante-Agyei, Treasurer together with Mr. Blewu received the journalists.

Mr. Blewu commended members of NAWOJ for coming together as women to champion the course of women and issues affecting them, saying such association help build the confidence and equip women for higher political and other public leadership positions.

He called on journalists in the sub-region to promote the regional integration process by writing more and informing the people on the processes for ECOWAS citizens to be well-informed about the countries and appreciate the sense of belongingness and oneness.

He said such integration could truly be achieved through visits like the one which NAWOJ members have paid to Ghana.

The General Secretary also stressed the need to revive the Ghanaian Association of Women in the Media to champion the course of women and children more passionately.

Mrs Ekrong said the group was visiting Ghana to get first hand information about the country, its people, media and other issues to enable members to report intelligently and factually back home.

She urged female journalists in Ghana to form similar association to facilitate the crusade on issues about women, children and the youth.**