It is a training programme that offers the platform for journalists and media practi­tioners to build their capacities in their area of practice.

In addition, it is to enhance the knowledge and crafts of participating in journalism and build them to be more profes­sional in their practice as a mea­sure to safeguard the country’s fledgling democracy.

This year’s event slated from September 10 to 13, 2024, takes place at the University of Me­dia, Arts and Communications (UniMAC), Dzorwulu Campus, in Accra, will be opened to practicing journalists and media practitioners across the country.
Launching the cohort in Accra, last Thursday, the Min­ister of Information, Fatimatu Abubakar, said more than 100 journalists had benefitted from the programme since its incep­tion in 2021.

She said the programme, funded by the government through the ministry, was intended to offer refreshing courses for media practitioners to improve the quality of their work, enhance ethical journal­ism and promote professional­ism.

The minister said the whole essence of the training was to equip journalists with the requi­site skills to enable them to hold duty-bearers accountable.

The Chairperson of the MCEP, Gloria Hiadzi, said 40 journalists out of the 100 selected for the training would participate in the in-person training while the remaining 60 would join the training via online.

Some experience media lecturers and experts from re­nowned journalism institutions would take the trainees through various modules including; Im­pact Journalism, Media Ethics, Media Law, Media’s Role in Socio-Economic Development and Nation Building, Digital Media and Online Journalism.

In all, 100 journalists and media practitioners working in the various radio, television, newspaper and new media outlets would benefit from this year’s cohort.

Interested journalists could apply for the training through a Google portal from August 23, 2024, and the portal for appli­cation would be uploaded onto the Ministry of Information’s social media handles.