By Joyce Danso, GNA
Accra, Dec. 3, GNA - The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has renewed its pledge to roll out more training programmes for journalists so they could be on top of the game in their areas of specialisation.
Mr Affail Monney, the President of GJA, noted that it was only through training that the value of journalists would be enhanced.
"If you are trained, it would show in your work, people would be attracted to you by the glamour of your work. Your work should ignite confidence among media consumers," he said.
Mr Monney was speaking at a media capacity building workshop in Accra on Fair Trade, Living Income and Living Wage.
It was organised by FAIRTRADE Africa - West Africa Network, in collaboration with the GJA.
The workshop was funded by the Trade Development Centre, and ENABEL, a Belgian Development Agency, as part of FAIRTRADE’s awareness raising in Africa.
The GJA President asked journalists to "seek training first so that all other things would be added.”
"What shall it profit journalists if after getting fat salaries and driving the posh cars, then they are found wanting?," he quizzed.
He said the workshop was, therefore, in line with the agenda of the GJA of training solution-oriented journalists for the country.
There were so many issues that were begging for solutions and urged journalists to pay attention to those issues by using the pen to fix them.
"We have a godly profession to ensure that farmers needs are addressed. Exporters and manufacturers also should get what is due them. When these people get satisfaction, their dividend would be enhanced," he added.
He commended FAIRTRADE for the collaboration and appealed to journalists to champion better conditions for farmers and exporters.
Dr Mawuli Reuben Coffie, a Consultant at the International Trade Centre (ITC) said people depended on journalists to provide credible information.
He said Africa had been described as the fastest growing economy but most of her people continued to wallow in poverty.
The terms of trade generally remained unfavorable to Africa because the Continent continued to supply primary goods, Dr Coffie noted.
In the case of cocoa, he said Ghana only got three-billion dollars out the 120 billion from the sale of cocoa beans.
Additionally, only six per cent of the cocoa beans produced in Ghana was processed in the country whilst the rest was exported.
He stressed the importance of processing more of Ghana's cocoa beans in order to curb unfair terms of trade.
Mr Abubakar Afful, Team Lead for West African Cocoa Programme under FAIRTRADE Africa, said his organisation was advocating for equality in trade to reduce poverty.
FAIRTRADE was also supporting farmers to be climate resilient and engage them in best practices in farming, he said.
FAIRTRADE, an independent non- profit organization, has over 1,050,000 producers, 628 producer organisations across 33 countries in Africa and the Middle East.
It seeks to engage members to advocate for their interest and active ownership of global fair trade systems.
GNA
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