The training of some 250 journalists under Ghana’s much-touted Media Capacity Enhancement Programme (MCEP) has begun in Kumasi.

The programme, themed ‘Equipping the Media to Play an Effective Role in our Nation Building’ is a four-day intensive capacity enhancement initiative sponsored by the Ministry of Information.

With a first cohort of 60 practicing journalists drawn from across the country to be trained on emerging issues in journalism, MCEP seeks to enhance the skills of participants, provide a platform to support media introspection on subjects related to media management, corporate governance, and media business models and encourage ethical journalism.

Speaking at the opening of the programme at the Manhyia Palace, sector minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah underscored the need to bring together relevant stakeholders in the industry to regularly train practising journalists so their capacity is enhanced in the area of ethics, professionalism, media law, impact journalism, use of digital tools and investigative journalism.

He said to ensure the media keeps its high standards, the ministry is happy to support stakeholders to execute the programme.

“We, at the Ministry of Information, believe that addressing the capacity challenges faced by the media in this comprehensive, coordinated and regular manner, will yield more dividend than the occasional support given by stakeholders as individuals,” Mr Oppong Nkrumah said.

The minister advised the participants to take the lessons seriously in order to build their knowledge base and sharpen their skills to become relevant within the space.

Present at the ceremony was Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Chairman of MCEP and Rector of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) Professor Kwamena Kwansah-Aidoo; US Ambassador Stephanie S. Sullivan, Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC) Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh, President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Roland Affail Monney, Ashanti Regional Minister Simon Osei-Mensah and other well-known dignitaries and representatives from media umbrella bodies such as the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) and the Private Newspaper Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG).

For his part, the Asantehene appealed to journalists and media owners to protect and preserve the unity and stability of the country, reminding journalists to disabuse their minds of misconceptions and always put the country first in their daily reportage.

He said it is his expectation that with the rolling out of the programme, the understanding of participants in the field of journalism, will improve, which will help enhance the quality of media output in the country.