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The International Institute of ICT Journalism (Penplusbytes) is to carry out a media capacity building programme for selected journalists who are interested in oil and gas reporting from the southern and northern sectors of Ghana. The program, which begins in mid April 2013, would run for six months and offer an extensive learning opportunity for 10 qualified journalists. A release signed by Mr Jerry Sam, Projects Director, Penplusbytes, and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Monday, said the purpose of the training was to improve coverage of oil and gas stories by the Ghanaian media leading to an increase in the quantity and quality (in terms of in-depth and investigative reporting) of oil and gas stories. This would ensure that the media play an effective watchdog role over Ghana�s oil and gas revenues and resources. The training, which forms part of the �empowering the media to play an active role over oil and gas revenue and resources� project, being funded by STAR-Ghana, would comprise workshops, interviews and informal �roundtables,� regular mentoring, field trips and debates with technical experts and journalists from Ghana. Ms Sandra Mills, Programme Associate of Penplusbytes, said: �This training will be an interactive one which will involve reviews and assistance offered to trainees as they produce stories and explore the issues involved in reporting on the extractive sector. �This will better educate the general public and provide civil society organizations with the necessary information to effectively hold government accountable over the oil gas revenues and resources.� As part of the requirement, prospective applicants are requested to provide examples of any stories written in relation to the extractive industries and published or broadcast clearly showing their byline where applicable and date of publication. Reporters are also required to write short biography of themselves in not more than 200 words, a brief statement explaining how deepening their understanding of oil and gas reporting will contribute to their professional development and that of their media houses also in 200 words. Applicants are to write a pitch for a story on extractives they would want to pursue ��who would you interview and why, what would be the angle and focus of the story and how this relates to your audience� Contact information of applicants� editor � telephone, email, postal and physical address should be submitted before or on March 4, 2013 via email to [email protected].