"Access to information is not just a human rights issue; it is also vital for sustainable development," she said in Accra last Saturday when she made a brief stopover in the country as part of a West African tour.

She was met on arrival at the VVIP lounge of the Kotoka International Airport by a Deputy Minister of Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, and the UNESCO Representative in Ghana, Mr Tirso Dos Santos.

Ms Bokova stated further that access to information was vital in meeting the organisation’s Agenda 2020 which dwells on education, social equality, strong institutions, gender equality, a skilled youth development and a just society.

She also expressed the belief that training journalists would give them the leverage to contribute their quota towards national development.

The UNESCO director general commended the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for his passion for democracy and his efforts to improve the standards of education in the country.

Ms Bokova said she had respect for Ghana for the strides it was making to improve the economy.

World Press Freedom Day

For her part, the deputy information minister estolled the great strides the media in Ghana had made and said Ghana had been selected to host this year’s World Press Freedom Day.

He commended Ms Bokova for her work with the UNESCO and said the government would extend an invitation to her to grace the World Press Freedom Day.

Mr Nkrumah explained that the two-day event would be attended by leading actors from the media, civil society organisations, policy makers, representatives of the judiciary and academia to discuss the latest developments affecting the media and address challenges relating to press freedom and safety of journalists.

A multi-stakeholder steering committee, co-chaired by UNESCO and Ghana’s Ministry of Information, had been set up to plan the event, he said.

UNESCO would be represented by Ghana’s ambassador to the UNESCO, Mrs Anna Bossman.

The theme for this year’s celebration will explore the role of the media and the judiciary in maintaining the rule of law, including during elections, and safeguarding the fundamental right to expression as well as in addressing crimes against journalists.

The Accra event is expected to include a range of plenary and group sessions, an academic conference on safety of journalists, a youth newsroom and photo exhibitions.

The 2018 UNESCO Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize will be awarded during the event to a person or an organisation that has made an outstanding contribution to the defence of press freedom.