He said media practitioners should be circumspect in their reportage, especially when what they reported had the potential to damage the reputation of people.
Mr Iddrisu, who gave the advice at the 50th anniversary and third congregation of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) in Accra on Saturday, said there was the need for the media to recognise the rich diversity of the country and promote unity among the people.
The theme for the ceremony was. “GIJ at 50: Defining Africa's Communications Agenda".
In all, 160 students including this reporter, were awarded certificates after completing a two-year diploma course in Communication Studies.
Prizes were given to deserving graduates, with Ms Doreen Ampofo and Mr Anthony Amoako being adjudged the Most Promising Students.Mr Noble Johnson Kwabla Kukubor received the Most Professional and Overall Best Student award.
The GIJ, which was established in 1959, has played a key role in the training of Ghanaian journalists and others from other African countries. Last October, it received a Presidential Charter to become an autonomous tertiary institution to award its own degrees, diplomas and certificates.
Mr Iddrisu said the power of the media to disseminate information and educate remained critical to the sustenance of the country’s democratic process and the development of a new culture of democratic values.
The Rector of the GIJ, Mr David Newton, indicated that the institute had chalked up many successes in the past.
He said in 2010 there would be a strategic plan which would focus on developing GIJ's new site into a modern university campus.
As part of the strategies to develop the new site, Mr Newton said, the institute would set up an endowment fund to supplement government efforts at providing funding for the new site project.
He said the Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) had pledged to support the institute in the areas of curriculum development, Information Communication Technology ( ICT) and the promotion of exchange programmes between the institute and other African Communications institutions.
He said OSIWA had already sponsored two lecturers and a student to participate in this year's Highway Africa Conference at the Rhodes University in South Africa.
For his part, the High Commissioner of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Accra, Senator Musiliu Obatunde Obanikoro, called on the GIJ to play the traditional role of agenda setting and be more proactive to sustain the democratic process.
He said the institute should not rest on its laurels but continue to work tirelessly for Ghana’s growth and development, adding that the media should use their indispensability to foster and promote bilateral relationship among Ghana and Nigeria and other countries in the sub-region.
Senator Obanikoro appealed to the Ghanaian media to change their perception about Nigerian resident in Ghana so that together the peoples of the two countries could work in unity and integrate Africa.
The Chairman of the GIJ Governing Council, Alhaji A.B.A. Fuseini, said the Presidential Charter awarded to the institute had imposed additional responsibility on it that made it imperative for all to join hands to work hard to justify the confidence reposed in it.
He said the charter required the institute to continue to invest in strengthening the design and review of the curriculum and to enhance the teaching and learning resources that would assure academic quality.
THE Minister of Communications, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, has asked media practitioners to be mindful of the rights and freedoms of individuals as they try to hold public officials and institutions accountable.
He said media practitioners should be circumspect in their reportage, especially when what they reported had the potential to damage the reputation of people.
Mr Iddrisu, who gave the advice at the 50th anniversary and third congregation of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) in Accra on Saturday, said there was the need for the media to recognise the rich diversity of the country and promote unity among the people.
The theme for the ceremony was. “GIJ at 50: Defining Africa's Communications Agenda".
In all, 160 students were awarded certificates after completing a two-year diploma course in Communication Studies.
Prizes were given to deserving graduates, with Ms Doreen Ampofo and Mr Anthony Amoako being adjudged the Most Promising Students.
Mr Noble Johnson Kwabla Kukubor received the Most Professional and Overall Best Student award.
The GIJ, which was established in 1959, has played a key role in the training of Ghanaian journalists and others from other African countries. Last October, it received a Presidential Charter to become an autonomous tertiary institution to award its own degrees, diplomas and certificates.
Mr Iddrisu said the power of the media to disseminate information and educate remained critical to the sustenance of the country’s democratic process and the development of a new culture of democratic values.
The Rector of the GIJ, Mr David Newton, indicated that the institute had chalked up many successes in the past.
He said in 2010 there would be a strategic plan which would focus on developing GIJ's new site into a modern university campus.
As part of the strategies to develop the new site, Mr Newton said, the institute would set up an endowment fund to supplement government efforts at providing funding for the new site project.
He said the Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) had pledged to support the institute in the areas of curriculum development, Information Communication Technology ( ICT) and the promotion of exchange programmes between the institute and other African Communications institutions.
He said OSIWA had already sponsored two lecturers and a student to participate in this year's Highway Africa Conference at the Rhodes University in South Africa.
For his part, the High Commissioner of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Accra, Senator Musiliu Obatunde Obanikoro, called on the GIJ to play the traditional role of agenda setting and be more proactive to sustain the democratic process.
He said the institute should not rest on its laurels but continue to work tirelessly for Ghana’s growth and development, adding that the media should use their indispensability to foster and promote bilateral relationship among Ghana and Nigeria and other countries in the sub-region.
Senator Obanikoro appealed to the Ghanaian media to change their perception about Nigerian resident in Ghana so that together the peoples of the two countries could work in unity and integrate Africa.
The Chairman of the GIJ Governing Council, Alhaji A.B.A. Fuseini, said the Presidential Charter awarded to the institute had imposed additional responsibility on it that made it imperative for all to join hands to work hard to justify the confidence reposed in it.
He said the charter required the institute to continue to invest in strengthening the design and review of the curriculum and to enhance the teaching and learning resources that would assure academic quality.
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