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As Ghana prepares to host the launching ceremony of 2018 World Press Freedom Day, the Society of Journalists—Africa (SOJA) wishes to take turns to commend the entire inky fraternity in Ghana and Africa as a whole.

SOJA would also like to stretch an arm of commendation to all able institutions that contributed to Ghana's success in the annals of Journalism in Africa.

In the last two years (2016 & 2017), Ghana had been second to Namibia in Africa on Press Freedom.

However, Ghana climbed to top in Africa in the 2018 index recently released by the Paris-based Rapporteurs Sans Frontières (RSF), popularly known as Reporters Without Borders.

While Norway remains the number one Press Freedom in the world from 2017, Ghana as first in Africa is number 23 in the world ranking as the RSF ranks 180 countries on seven indicators.

The indicators are: "Pluralism, Media Independence, Environment & Self-Censorship, Legislative Instrument, Transparency, Infrastructure and Abuse" from journalists across the world who were asked 87 questions bothering press freedom in 20 languages.

For this reason, SOJA salutes all media practitioners in Ghana and asks that Ghana continues to move beyond the 23rd position to be among at least, first 15 countries in the next world press freedom index.

Moreover, SOJA would also like to salute Namibia, Cabo Verde, South Africa, Burkina Faso, Botswana, Comoros and Senegal for succinctly following Ghana in the Africa ranking.

The index is a sign that many countries on the African continent are growing in the ideals of democracy and development for which mass communication remains pivotal.

SOJA would not bury its head in the sand of time but to join all well-meaning international and national bodies that the fight against Brown Envelope Journalism must be fought well and be won.

While fighting that as a cancer on Journalism in the continent, there is also the need to push for calls on owners of Media Stations, Journalist Associations and other media related stakeholders to stem the tide on better Remuneration for the African media practitioners.

KOFI ASAMOAH-ABABIO
EDITOR IN CHIEF — Xplora
(020 426 9117)

ALEX ABABIO
EDITORIAL CHAIRMAN—Xplora
(0245 042 656)