Mr. Abdul-Majeed Yakubu, the Northern Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA), has emphasized the importance of journalists harnessing Information Communication Technology (ICT) tools, particularly smartphones, for accurate fact-checking of data and figures obtained from sources.
During a training workshop on Population issues in Tamale, where he addressed journalists, Mr Yakubu advised, “Evidence-based reporting will help give credibility to our works as journalists, hence we should begin to take data and research seriously because they are necessary for executing our duties.”
The three-day program, organized by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) with funding from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), aimed to equip media practitioners with the skills and knowledge required to produce fact-based reports.
Approximately 40 participants from various media houses and UNFPA focal persons across the Bono, Bono East, Upper East, West, North East, and Northern Regions took part in the workshop.
Highlighting the challenges faced by media practitioners, Mr Yakubu acknowledged that despite these hurdles, some journalists have excelled in producing quality and excellent reports.
He stressed the urgent need for practitioners to take the necessary steps to improve the conditions of service for journalists, enabling them to fully benefit from the proliferation of media outlets.
To this end, Mr Yakubu suggested that conscious efforts should be made to provide journalists with modern and essential working materials, equipment, and capacity-building programs to enhance their effectiveness in their work.
During the workshop, Mr Emmanuel George Ossei, the Head of the Regional Offices Directorate at the GSS, delivered a presentation on the concepts and definitions of population statistics.
Mr Ossei emphasized that a thorough understanding of statistical studies and concepts is crucial for data analysis and interpretation, decision-making, research design, policy evaluation, resource allocation, and comprehension of social phenomena.
He encouraged the participants to familiarize themselves with the terminologies and definitions related to population concepts, enabling them to report accurately and efficiently on data and population-related issues.
