Journalist Should Pay More Attention To The Environment

Dr. Joseph Addo Ampofo, Director, Water Research Institute (WRI), Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has encouraged journalists to pay more attention to the environment since it is the source of life and human dignity. He therefore urged journalists to delve deeper into environmental issues to expose wrong doing and praise good work. Dr. Ampofo pledged the support and solidarity of the WRC and other stakeholders which seek to conserve and protect the environment for future generations. Dr Ampofo was addressing more than thirty Ghanaian Journalists attending a workshop on techniques in environmental journalism organised by the Water Resource Commission (WRC) in Accra. The one day workshop was on the theme, Training media in Integrated Water Resource Management and Water Laws and Regulations, and Environmental Reporting'. The Journalists were taken through various modules such as Water problems in Ghana, Dam Safety, Riparian Buffer Zone Policy, for managing freshwater bodies in Ghana, and Water Resources Commission Act that governs the activities of the WRI. Participants studied strategizing questions and also sourcing for the right kind of information with appropriate use of terminologies when reporting on issues pertaining to the environment to enable them address the right issues comprehensively. Dr Ampofo urged the Journalists to establish a credible case worth investigating before embarking on any fact finding mission. He advised journalists to build a very credible source or network in the arena of sourcing for information as they embark on the noble journalistic enterprise. The facilitator, Mrs Adwoa Munkua Dako, Public Relations Officer, WRC, advised the participants to put the skills and knowledge acquired into proper use to the benefit of Ghana adding that they should build strong relationships with stakeholders in the environment to enable them gather credible information for public consumption. She also advised journalists to publish environmental articles which would be easily understood by the less-privileged in order to mobilise their energies towards achieving a clean environment. Mrs. Dako said the core mandate of the WRC is to regulate and manage the utilization of water and also co-ordinate relevant government policies.