Full text: Sam Jonah’s speech at GJA 75th anniversary launch

Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, esteemed members of the Ghana Journalist Association, thank you for the opportunity to address the Ghana Journalists Association as we commemorate your 75th anniversary.

As we reflect on the rich tapestry of your organization’s history, it is essential to recall that my relationship with Ghana’s media landscape has been long-standing and deeply committed.

Over the years, I have supported and sponsored numerous events hosted by your association, even during times when such associations could be perilous, potentially leading to the loss of livelihood or life.

The initiative provided an important platform for much-needed dialogue between the PNDC and Senior Members of your Association during a very difficult time in our history.

Most of your senior members actively participated in the activities of the initiative and can no doubt attest to its phenomenal success.

As we celebrate this landmark anniversary, let it be a call to all journalists to rise to the occasion, to uphold the values that have defined your noble profession, and to hopefully continue to be the beacon of hope and accountability our nation relies upon.

As we stand on the precipice of yet another electoral milestone, in my view, the most consequential, the echoes of past violence, the whispers of disenfranchisement looms and I don’t think anyone needs reminding that the conduct of the electoral exercise together with its outcome is soimportant that the nation cannot afford bias and unprofessional coverage of it by members of your profession.