CJ Charges Media: Be Persons Of Learning, Report On Election 2024 Accurately

Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Sackey Torkornoo, has charged the media in Ghana to report accurately on issues relating to the courts and on all other national issues.

Addressing members of the Judicial Press Corps (JPC) in her first meeting with them since she assumed office in June 2023, Chief Justice Torkornoo also cautioned the media to be mindful of their reportage during the 2024 electioneering season in order not to lose the important role they play.

“We are going to do our best to ensure the quality of information that’s available to you for your court reporting is enhanced by the digitisation, automation of the processes.”

“Again, it’s not enough to say elections are won or lost at the polling station; sometimes they are pedestrian statements or the law is in the bosom of the judge,” she added.

“I will ask that when people start churning out these statements, you confront them with the available structures, meaning you should be abreast of these structures.”

More Training
Meanwhile, the Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, noted that “Journalism is one of the professions that people don’t need licenses to practice, so what happens is that with the plethora of media houses, a majority of practitioners on media platforms have not had any training in journalism.”

“The consequences are that you see a high propensity for conduct that may be considered unethical.”

According to the minister, there is a need to invest more in the training of journalists.

“We should make more investment in providing training for people who are practicing journalism.”