The Institute for Digital Marketing and Communication Ghana (IDMC-Ghana) has provided tailored training in Advocacy Journalism (AJ) for a total of 144 staff of the Ghana News Agency (GNA) across the country.
The training is aimed at boosting their journalistic works as well as add to their knowledge in the practice of work.
The training forms part of the Post Covid-19 Skills Development and Productivity Enhancement Project (PSDPEP) funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) through Social Investment Fund (SIF) and executed by the Ministry of Finance, with IDMC as the implementing partner.
Its main objective is to contribute to Ghana’s sustainable post-pandemic recovery in health, youth entrepreneurship, climate change and gender, as well as support the restoration of livelihoods, employment opportunities and private sector development.
The project is being implemented for five years, spanning from 2022 to 2027. The SIF is collaborating with other implementing institutions, including the University of Ghana (UG), the Ghana News Agency (GNA) and the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), to conduct day-to-day activities of the project.
Monitoring & Evaluation Expert at Social Investment Fund, MacDonald Acquah, during the closing ceremony of the Trainer of Trainers (ToT) session in Accra to climax the six weeks sessions held at Tamale and Sogakope, said The PSDPEP project is funded from a grant facility of US$28.5million.
He said the project seeks to specifically support health-related skills development in higher education at the UG for the ultimate enhancement of Ghana’s healthcare delivery system; and promote technical and entrepreneurship for job creation among youth and women.
In a speech read on his behalf, Justice Amankwah Mensah, the Chief Executive Officer of the SIF and National Coordinator of the PSDPEP, urged the participants to contribute their quota toward Ghana’s post-pandemic recovery efforts through championing issues that would drive social change and development.
He asked them to do so by producing high-quality, impactful content that informs and educates the Ghanaian public on issues relating to public health, MSMEs, gender, climate change and infectious diseases through stories, infographics and documentaries.
Mr. Mensah indicated that the project would also allocate resources toward digitalising GNA’s system and rehabilitate its head office building in Accra as well as the regional office buildings, including Tema, Takoradi and Tamale.
He advised the participants to let the knowledge and skills acquired during the training be reflected in their outputs.
General Manager of GNA, Albert Kofi Owusu, congratulated the participants for availing themselves for the training, adding that he was confident they would raise the flag of the agency higher.
He assured that management of the agency would provide resources and support to staff to carry out their duties effectively.
Mr. Owusu thanked the AfDB, SIF, IDMC Ghana and other stakeholders for making the training possible and assured that the GNA would cooperate with them in advancing the goals of the project.
