Accra, Oct. 7, GNA – A survey conducted in five regions has blamed media practitioners for not using their tools to promote good governance in the country.
Out of 1,200 respondents interviewed 87.7 per cent perceived that some social commentators on both radio and television programmes and phone-in contributors to media discussions created unhealthy conflict situation in the country.
The baseline survey on: “Household Perceptions About Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Necessary for Good Governance” was conducted in the Northern, Ashanti, Central, Greater Accra and Volta Regions.
According to the survey, which was released on Thursday, the respondents agreed that the media had a pivotal role to play in ensuring good governance and called for training programmes and capacity building workshops to sensitise the practitioners in that direction. They also called for the institution of award for journalists, who would promote good governance.
The survey was at the instance of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference Advocacy for Good Governance Project launched in May to build a strong foundation at the grassroots level to strengthen the country’s fledgling democracy.
Mr Kofi Asubonteng, Executive Secretary of the National Catholic Laity Council, who was addressing a stakeholders’ debriefing meeting said the regions were pre-selected on the basis of the electorate’s voting pattern during the 2004 Presidential and Parliamentary elections. He said the survey was to assess the status of good governance at the grassroots levels and to measure the impact of the project by identifying emerging issues for capacity building programmes for specified target groups.
The survey also revealed that there were no close and open relationship between parliamentarians/politicians and their constituents making it difficult for the later to put their needs across. Mr Asubonteng said the respondents also asked parliamentarians and politicians to be objective in discussing issues of national interest to enhance progress.
It also called for capacity building programmes for traditional rulers to develop their skills in leadership, conflict resolution, gender and development issues and decentralization to enable them to play an important role in promoting good governance.
Source: GhanaWeb
