Penplusbytes to Train Journalists in Oil and Gas Reporting

Beginning next quarter, Penplusbytes will be executing the third phase of its extensive media capacity building programme for suitably qualified journalists interested in oil and gas reporting from Ghana, Uganda and Tanzania with support from the Revenue Watch Institute as part of the “Strengthening media oversight on the extractive sectors” project.

This project comes against the backdrop that in many resource-rich countries, journalists often lack the necessary knowledge and skill in investigating and writing in-depth stories on the extractives, oil and gas sector. 

The training programme will begin in July 2013 and run over a period of 6 – 8 months. There are approximately 10 places available this year for Ghanaian journalists. This year’s training will be delivered together with Penplusbytes’ partners the African Centre for Media Excellence based in Uganda and Journalists’ Environmental Association from Tanzania (JET).

This interactive training will involve a  mixture of seminars, interviews and informal ‘roundtables’, as well as regular mentoring, field trips, workshops and debates with technical experts and journalists from Ghana, Uganda and Tanzania.

The program, which started in 2011, has since trained 22 journalists in three different classes in Ghana. A beneficiary of the program, Madam Lydia Asamoah from the Ghana News Agency said “participating in the project last year broadened my knowledge on how to effectively report on the sector. It has improved my news gathering skills and enhanced my ability to interpret and analyse data related to the oil and gas sector”.

According to Kofi Mangesi Director of Penplusbytes, “the training will also offer a unique opportunity for trainee journalists to do country specific comparisons under the course as it will involve exchange programmes between the three implementing countries of Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda.”

Editor’s note:

The Revenue Watch Institute is a non-profit policy institute and grant-making organization that promotes accountable and effective management of oil, gas and mineral resources for the public good.


Penplusbytes is a registered not for profit organization since 18th July 2001 with the vision of driving excellence in ICT journalism.