I wish to extend the Hon. Chairman of the Council of State, Nana Otuo Siriboe II’s apologies to you all for his inability to be present. This is due to a prearranged engagement that has taken him out of the country. The mantle, therefore, has fallen on me to represent him at this all-important occasion and I bring you warm greetings from the entire membership of the Council of State.
Indeed I am honoured to be part of this two-day Symposium and Media Summit put together by the West Africa Parliamentary Press Corps (WAPPC).
This Symposium and Media Summit, I am told, has brought together a group of journalists who cover Parliamentary proceedings from the various Parliaments or National Assemblies of Member countries of ECOWAS and is intended to equip the media professionals with skills and knowledge to enable them discharge their duties with the strictest sense of professionalism, so as to strengthen good governance and parliamentary democracy in the sub-region.
Rev. Chairman, the theme of the event “The Role of the Media in Ensuring Peace and Good Governance in the West African Sub-Region” cannot be over emphasized.
This is critical because despite all the efforts being made by the various Heads of States and security agencies in the sub-region in collaboration with their development partners to ensure peace, if the media fails to play its role not only as watchdog of society but also in the areas of accurate information dissemination and public education and sensitization, all these efforts will be derailed.
This places a huge burden of responsibility on the media as far as the peace and security in the sub-region is concerned.
We are all aware of the Rwanda conflict and how it all came about. This means that society recognizes the important role of the media and that is why in some jurisdictions, the media is often referred to as the Fourth Estate of the Realm.
Rev. Chairman, we are all aware of the numerous conflicts in the sub-region and how ECOWAS despite all these conflicts, is vigorously pursuing its integration agenda of “ECOWAS OF THE PEOPLE”.
There cannot be development without peace. Parliament cannot operate when the peace of the country is disturbed. The Electoral Commission cannot operate when the peace of the country is disturbed. The media cannot operate when the peace of the country is disturbed.
That is why there is that huge responsibility on all of us to contribute our quota to the peace building process in whichever area or profession we find ourselves to ensure a conflict-free society where each and everyone can freely go about his or her duties without fear or panic.
As journalists who cover Parliamentary Proceedings, a lot behooves on you as far as the success of Parliamentary democracy is concerned. You must refrain from sensational and trivial reportage. Your focus must be on the positives that will strengthen parliamentary democracy and not reportage that will erode all the public trust and successes that the institution must have achieved.
I will urge you all to build reportage on the positives around all phases of the electoral cycle and to be on top of the electoral guidelines including the strategic messages of cooperation by the election management body. You must be the CANARY BIRD of all confidence boosting and peace building messages. Use your news judgment to decide what is most important to include in a story and when to use it.
Always remember that GOOD JOURNALISM INVOLVES SELECTION NOT COMPRESSION.
Mr. Chairman, before I conclude let me say a very big thank you to the organizers, the West Africa Parliamentary Press Corps (WAPPC) for putting up this event and assembling some of the best brains in the sub-region to talk about the need to sustain peace in the ECOWAS sub-region.
This tells me that we collectively have a brighter future for Africa.
Finally, thank you and may the good Lord guide our decisions and actions to live and sustain peace and development in the sub-region. God bless us all.
