Penplusbytes Anniversary Boot Camp

The Deputy Director/Head of ICT Division of the Information Services Department (ISD) Mr Mawutodzi Kodzo Abissath has said that the Government of Ghana portal (GOG) was initiated to provide authentic and accurate information about Ghana. The portal, he declared publishes news, develops appropriate communication strategies as well as focuses on developmental oriented news and links all Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in Ghana.

 

Mr Abissath further noted that the portal serves as a source of information on speeches, press releases, meet the press, it also serves as a regional page for all the ten regions and provides profiles of public officials {Ministers).

 

He noted that the portal is managed by the Ministry of Information and ISD.

 

He made these remarks at a training session for student journalists organised in collaboration with the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) and the International Institute of ICT Journalism (Penplusbytes).

 

The board chairman of Penplusbytes, Dr Kwabena Riverson said penplusbytes has trained over 100 journalists in various parts of Africa.

 

Currently Dr Riverson said penplusbytes has a network of over 700 members spread across 49 countries.

 

The board chairman said his organisation is conducting a number of key studies, capacity building programmes and projects which includes the institution's flagship project known as African Election Project (AEP), inaugurated in 2008.

 

The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) took the opportunity to launch its website at the training session. http://gjaghana.org/

 

The President of the GJA, Mr Ransford Tetteh, launching the website said new media journalism has become an important profession in the country and therefore appealed to journalists to report accurately on issues since it is a social media that provides service to the world.

 

Mr Tetteh urged journalists to guide their colleagues in their reportage to prevent fear and panic among individuals and also commemorate on the positive aspect of journalism and not only on the negative side. 

 

Source: ISD (Benjamin Amaning & Nancy Krampah)