Ghanaian journalists to get French training
Mr Frederic Clavier, French Ambassador to Ghana on Wednesday expressed the readiness of the French Government to collaborate with the Ghana Government to offer skills training to Ghanaian journalists in France.
This would help improve journalistic practice in the country, Mr Clavier stated during a courtesy call on Mr Mahama Ayariga, Minister of Information and Media Relations in Accra.
He noted that the training of Ghanaian journalists would be undertaken under the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ media capacity empowerment training programme.
The envoy congratulated Mr Ayariga on his assumption of office as Minister of Information and Media Relations, and expressed the willingness of the French government to work closely with the Ghanaian government, especially in the area of trade.
He lauded the high level of press freedom in the country, saying that it was far better than those of many other countries in the world.
Mr Ayariga, lauded the crucial role France has played in the socio-economic development of the country.
He stressed on the importance of the French language to Ghana as far as communication with its neighbours was concerned since Ghana was surrounded by Francophone countries.
Mr Ayariga noted that although government was committed to press freedom, it did not in any way subscribe to irresponsible journalism since that practice had the potential of triggering conflict in a diversified country like Ghana.
He expressed government’s willingness to work to improve the training of journalists across the country and called on all to support this objective.
In a related development, Madam Sharon Bar-Li, Israeli Ambassador to Ghana who also paid a courtesy call on Mr Ayariga, lauded Ghana for its role in championing democracy in Africa.
She expressed satisfaction about the peaceful nature of the 2012 general election and the peaceful nature of power transfer in the country.
The Israeli Ambassador lauded the cooperation between the two countries which had resulted in trade relations and other mutual benefits.
“Ghana as we know was part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (INIFIL) deployed by the United Nations Security Council to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon when it occupied the land in the 1970’s.
“We have also witnessed Israel’s assistance by dispatching a team of experts to facilitate the rescue mission when the Melcom building collapsed last year at Achimota, trapping tens of people”, she added.
Mr Ayariga expressed government’s readiness to work closely with the Israeli government for the benefit of all.
Source: GNA