Ghana - The Dean of the School for Research and Graduate Studies at the Catholic University, Dr. Anthony Bona Koomson, has charged media practitioners in the country to be critical thinkers in the discharge of their duties. He made the remark at this year's World Press Freedom Day, which occurred on May 3, and was observed worldwide, but for sheer unforeseen circumstances, the Eastern Regional branch of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) was unable to celebrate. In attendance was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Okere Constituency, Dan Kwaku Botwe, the GJA Vice President, Mr. Affail Monney, Deputy Eastern Regional Minister Teye Larbi among other political and government bigwigs.

Urging media practitioners to take the profession to different heights, Dr. Koomson said this they could do by making the profession attractive through the discharge of the core values of accurate reportage and integrity of the profession.

Making an attempt to differentiate who a reporter and journalist were, the Catholic University Dean said a reporter was one who gathers and carry information to a targeted people, whilst a journalist goes beyond only gathering of information and reporting.

Mentioning issues such as poor remuneration among other logistical constraints as some of the challenges holding back the profession, he charged media practitioners to live above themselves, even in the face of the situations they found themselves in.

Isaac Akwetey

Ghanaian Chronicle/13/05/2011