Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has charged Ghanaian journalists to live the mantra of ace Ghanaian journalist Komla Dumor by promoting the good from Ghana as the core of their mandate.
Speaking on the 8th anniversary of the passing of Dumor on Tuesday January 18, 2022, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah said Komla’s mantra that ‘there is so much to tell about the story of Africa and not the usual poverty, war and disease,’ is what should guide all journalists who seek to become giants like the former Joy FM and BBC journalist.
He said journalists should develop a conscious culture beyond holding duty bearers accountable and pointing to the ills in society to telling the Ghanaian story on their various platforms to unearth local opportunities.
“There is a lot more that we can do in the journalism space as we continue to enhance the capacity of journalists. I will go back to one of the favorites quotations of Komla Dumor that says, “there is so much to tell about the story of Africa and not the usual poverty, war and disease.” Bring it to Ghana, there is so much good going on in this country and there is so much to tell about the story of Ghana and not the usual accusations, allegations and claims that nothing works in this country which essentially kills the spirit of entrepreneurship, innovation and the can do spirit.
“Just like Komla lived in those days and promoted on the BBC after he had done it on JOY FM that we need to unearth Africa’s talent and good news and let the world know about it, journalists here in Ghana also need to unearth Ghana’s talent and good news and share that good news with other people to encourage and inspire other people,” he added.
He said journalists play a very critical role in the country’s development and as such must make it a point to project the potentials they find within and not report on sensational issues that damage the country’s image on the international stage.
