Industry experts have called for improved welfare and working conditions for journalists to enable them to effectively perform their watchdog role and hold public officials and institutions accountable.
The call was made at a media workshop organised by the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), an independent, non-partisan democracy and good governance think-tank leading nationwide consultations on a Draft Model Bill on Political Party Financing in Ghana.
The workshop focused on the regulation of political party financing and its implications for Ghana’s democratic governance. The lead speaker was Prof. Eliasu Mumuni, Dean of the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies at the University for Development Studies.
Prof. Mumuni stressed the need for media organisations to provide journalists with decent remuneration and improved working conditions, arguing that financial insecurity can undermine journalists’ ability to independently scrutinise powerful individuals and institutions.
He noted that journalists who struggle to meet their basic needs may become vulnerable to undue influence, making it difficult for them to challenge duty bearers and demand accountability.
Prof. Mumuni therefore urged media owners to improve salaries and working conditions and ensure that statutory obligations, including contributions to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), are duly fulfilled.
He cautioned that failure by employers to provide decent wages and basic employment benefits could amount to exploitation of media workers and weaken the effectiveness of the profession.
The FCMS Dean also encouraged media organisations to diversify their revenue sources and undertake internal reforms to strengthen their financial sustainability.
According to him, financially stable media houses are better positioned to provide decent working conditions for journalists, which in turn strengthens their independence and ability to serve the public interest.
Prof. Mumuni maintained that improving journalists’ welfare is not only an employment issue but also an important requirement for strengthening democratic accountability, as journalists need the necessary support and independence to scrutinise those entrusted with public power.
Story by Ama Frimpomaa
