I’ll improve communication in GJA - Ms Mary Mensah

Ms Mensah said she intended to create a database base of all GJA members using social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter  and WhatsApp, among others.

That, she said, would offer a platform for members of the GJA to interact and share ideas while updating the association on current issues and the way forward.

She said journalism as a profession played a critical role in national development, “as we do not only inform, educate and entertain but we are also the conscience of society.”  According to the aspiring Public Affairs Officer by effectively playing our roles, we help to shape the minds of society.

“This places on each journalist a huge responsibility to play his or her role in strict adherence to professional ethics and values, including upholding the principles of objectivity, fairness and balance in our news judgement and reportage,” she stated.

In her view, though media practitioners in Ghana had played their normative roles quite well, there was still room for improvement, especially in the area of training and retraining of members.

“We also need to create a new positive image for the association by so doing we need to encourage the rank and file membership to be professional and circumspect in their day to day activities,” she said.

Ms Mensah added that if she was given the mandate she would make the GJA more attractive in order to get more committed members on board.

She said there was the need to enforce our Code of Ethics and to revive the Committee on Ethics to sanction errant journalists, name and shame them, and deny them invitation to official programmes or functions.

“Currently, although the association has the list of its members, it has no emails or telephone numbers and as I said earlier, I intend to create a database base of all GJA members,” she said.

She will also create a platform for members to share ideas and update the association on current issues and the way forward.

Ms Mensah indicated that she was very passionate about training and retraining members to enable them sharpen their knowledge and skills “and together with the other executive members, I intend to make training our priority by sourcing for funds to train members periodically.”

She said she would continue with the effort of the unionisation of the association to strengthen the bargaining position for higher renumeration.

She also intends to organise social functions by teaming up with recognised bodies like the union bodies, embassies and financial institutions because after all, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. 

“It is my candid view that the effective implementation of these key points will go a long way to move the association from where it currently finds itself to a position of greater influence and impact on society,” she pointed out.