Journalist in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions of Ghana have been schooled in a two-day workshop at Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo region on promoting Responsible and Peaceful Electoral Leadership in 2016 elections.
The workshop which started on Tuesday February 16, and came to a closure on Wednesday, February 17, 2016 was organized by the Legal Resources Centre (LRC), a non-governmental organization. Over 30 Journalists from both electronic and print media from the 3 regions of north were schooled on Media and violent free elections, General Guidelines for Coverage of Elections, Laws Relating to Elections and Nature of Journalism Ethics.
In his presentation on the Guidelines for election coverage, Mr. Francis Ameyibor, General Coordinator of CDA Consult said the role of journalists is crucial during the election process. “In an often fragile context, and with a mind to conflict prevention, journalists must depend on their professional skills” he said.
Mr. Ameyibor urged journalits commit themselves to delivering thorough, verified, and unbiased information, pulled from a number of diverse sources, to their listeners or readers. He added they must refrain from publishing information that encourages divisions or antagonistic discussions, which are likely to incite violence or jeopardize social cohesion.
Mr. Ameyibor noted that adhering to a number of key principles will allow journalists to provide credible information to their audiences before, during, and after the elections and has however called on Journalists to refrain from allowing their personal opinions or preferences to sway their reportage.
The CDA Coordinator also encouraged Journalists to pay attention to groups that are traditionally marginalized by society – such as women, youth, or any other vulnerable group, and ensure that their voice and concerns are heard during campaigns.
On her part on Laws Relating to Elections, Madam Daphne Lariba Nabila, Executive Director, Legal Resources Centre quoted the Representation of The People Law of 1992 (P.N.D.C.L. 284) on
Election Offences- Section 27-41, stated that a Person Commits An Offence If He:
- Attempts to obtain information as to how a voter is voting or voted;
- Interfere with a voter who is voting;
- Induces or compels a person to disclose how a voter or whom he voted for during voting.
- Seeks to influence voting in whatever manner 500 meters of a polling station.
Madam Daphne Lariba Nabila,
Lawyer Lariba also indicated that a person who assists a blind person or anybody incapacitated from voting by any physical cause shall not divulge any information about how the physically challenged person voted. Adding a person commits the election offence of bribery if after the election that person directly or indirectly receives money or valuable consideration as payment for voting or having refrained from voting in a particular way has committed and electoral offence.
She said such people will face sanctions for the offences. Which includes, a fine of not more than GHC 6,000; or imprisonment for not more than 2 years; or both fine and imprisonment.
Speaking to North Star news on the sidelines of the workshop, the Executive Director, Legal Resources Centre, Lawyer Daphne Lariba Nabila said as Human Rights Lawyers and Defenders, they realized that during elections, there are a lot of human rights violations and thought it wise to empower the media as a stakeholder to report on these cases and get the institutions responsible to take up the cases for redress. “Recognizing the power and crucial role the media play in ensuring a peaceful atmosphere before, during and after this year’s election prompted the need for the workshop in Sunyani” she said.
Lawyer Lariba also entreated Journalists not to be biased in the line of duty and exhibit professionalism in their reportage and relate it to what the country’s law says about elections and its violations to ensure a peaceful 2016 election and beyond.
Legal Resources Centre (LRC) is a non-governmental organization with significant community based grassroots initiatives. Its core mission is to develop human rights within communities where it works to ensure social progress and development through the instrumentation of law, Justice, development and good governance.
source: http://www.northstarfmonline.com/journalists-schooled-on-peaceful-responsible-election-reportage/
