"Decline Favours from Politicians to Maintain Your Integrity" – NMC Advises Journalists
NMC however says, the only exception should be means of transportation to cover political events
Jonas Danquah 
The Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC), Mr Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh has advised journalists to decline favours from politicians in order to protect their integrity, being the ‘fourth estate’.
He made this assertion, delivering a keynote address at the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) 2020 Media Convention on Tuesday, March 10, 2020 in Accra.
Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh who admonished journalists from accepting favours from politicians, however said, the only exception to the “maxim” was transportation to cover political events such as rallies.
“To maintain our integrity, journalists are not to be seen taking favours from political parties and candidates.
"The only exception probably could be, by way of the transportation”, he said.
He explained that, majority of journalists in the country do not own their vehicles. Hence, transportation monies from politicians will aid them provide more coverage for the numerous political events as compared to journalists being dependent on their own means.
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"...The reason why I am making this exception is that we know that there are many rallies that may be addressed in a day and if the journalists were to come on their own, they may not be able to follow through all that.
"Therefore, if the political parties are willing and they tag them along, at least they will give them more coverage than the journalists themselves can do because the majority of our journalists do not own their own vehicles...".
The GJA 2020 Media Convention was on the theme "The 2020 Election - Role of the Media in Promoting Civility and Discernment in the Political Discourse".
Other speakers at the convention included; the Director of Electoral Services at the Electoral Commission, Dr Serebour Quaicoe, the GJA President, Mr Affail Monney, and the US Ambassador, Her Excellency Stephanie Sullivan.
Similar conventions would be held at Kumasi, Takoradi, Wa and Tamale in the build-up to the 2020 elections, to educate the media on the role to play, to ensure peaceful elections and how to properly exercise their “watch dog” role.
