Workshop for journalists and civil society actors on Ghana Election 2012

Accra, June 21, GNA-The International Institute for ICT Journalism
(Penplusbytes) would on Thursday June 21, hold a workshop on
"Connecting civil society and media for credible 2012 Ghana
Elections." in Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region.

The workshop forms part of African Elections Project (AEP), "Enabling
Peaceful Transparent and Credible Elections in Ghana Using New Media
Project" with funding from STAR-Ghana, a release issued and copied to
the Ghana News Agency on Wednesday by Mr Kwami Ahiabenu II, Team
Leader, Penplusbytes said in Accra.

It would bring together journalists and civil society actors around
the upcoming elections from the Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Northern, Upper
East and Upper West Regions.

The next workshop is expected to be held in the southern sector of Ghana.

The Connecting Media And Civil Society for Credible 2012 Ghana
Elections workshop aims at facilitating an effective and efficient
civil society interaction with the ultimate objective of serving
citizens better by providing them with an elections information
resource that would enable them make informed choices and sensitise
the electorate against electoral violence.

"Based on African Elections Project experience in covering the Ghana
2008 elections, it was noticed that majority of civil society and
media interaction was through traditional media press releases, press
conferences, Radio, TV and Print interviews.

This workshop is intended to bring the media, civil society
organisations and citizens together to deliberate on better ways of
exchanging information and knowledge, using integrated ICT platforms
to ensure Ghana goes through peaceful, transparent and credible
elections in December 2012" Mr Ahiabenu indicated.

Key presentation would be made by the Brong Ahafo Regional Director of
Electoral Commission, Mr Samuel Boadu whilst Professor Peter Amponsah,
Head of Communications of the Department of the Catholic University
would moderate a focus group discussion on "How to effectively
facilitate better working relations between the media and Civil
society through networking".

AEP established in 2008 is coordinated by Penplusbytes and covers
elections using Information and Communication Technologies across the
continent.

It has successfully covered elections in Botswana, Namibia, Ghana
(2008), Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, Mauritania, Mozambique, Malawi, Togo,
Niger and Liberia.

STAR-Ghana is a multi-donor pooled funding mechanism supported by
DFID, DANIDA, USAID and the EU to increase the influence of civil
society and parliament in the governance of public goods and service
delivery with the ultimate goal of improving the accountability and
responsiveness of government, traditional authorities and the private
sector.

GNA


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International Institute for ICT Journalism
www.penplusbytes.org