BY EDMUND SMITH-ASANTE
 |
| Members of the Ashanti Regional GWJN |
The Ghana Watsan Journalists
Network (GWJN), a grouping of journalists with interest in and focus on water,
sanitation and hygiene issues, has inaugurated its Ashanti Region branch in the
capital city of Kumasi.
The over 25-member branch was
inaugurated by GWJN’s Deputy National Coordinator, Edmund Smith-Asante, Friday,
September 21, 2012, after a two-day training workshop organised jointly by
Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor (WSUP), WaterAid in Ghana (WAG) and the
GWJN.
Prior to the inauguration, the
Ashanti Region GWJN members elected into office for a two-year term, a
five-member executive committee.
The newly elected executives are Ibrahim Abubakar, TV3 - Regional Coordinator ; Joseph
Kyei-Boateng, Daily Graphic - Deputy Regional Coordinator; Matilda Afrane, Light FM -Regional Secretary; - Gifty
Amofa, GNA - Regional Treasurer and Gideon Duodu, Daily Democrat
- Regional Organiser.
All the executives except the
Regional Organiser, were elected unopposed by an overwhelming majority. The
organiser position was keenly contested by three members and went into a
run-off, since no one obtained the 50% plus required.
Speaking on behalf of the
executives in their acceptance speech, Ibrahim Abubakar thanked the membership
for the confidence reposed in them and pledged dedication to the cause for
which they have been elected.
One of the three main objectives
of the workshop was the introduction of participants to some WASH (water,
sanitation and hygiene) sector policies and strategies such as the 2010 Ghana
SWA (sanitation and water for all) compact, the 2012 Ghana Renewed commitment
to SWA and the Revised Environmental Sanitation Policy.
The others were discussions on
advocacy opportunities for engagement with government ministers, policy and
decision makers at all levels and ways to strengthen the Ashanti Region branch
of the GWJN.
 |
| Mr. Ibrahim Musah addressing the participants |
Taking participants through
Ghana’s 2010 SWA Compact as well as its renewed commitments at this year’s High
Level Meeting in Washington D.C., Mr. Ibrahim Musah, Head of Policy and
Partnerships (HOPP), WaterAid in Ghana, urged them to become abreast with the
contents of the two documents and others so they could effectively engage policy
and decision makers.
Edmund Smith-Asante, Deputy
National Coordinator, GWJN, also took the journalists from various media houses
in Kumasi through the start of the network, what it has been able to accomplish
since its inauguration in 2009 as well as its future plans, and urged them to
be worthy WASH advocates.
He also stressed on the need for
them to make use of the internet through
blogs and the network’s website, by writing good stories that could be posted
on them and further take advantage of social media sites like facebook and
twitter among others to advance WASH issues.
Facilitation of the workshop was
done by Ms. Ida Coleman, stand-in Communications and Campaigns Officer,
WaterAid in Ghana, who commended the enthusiasm and participation of the
journalists during the two-day workshop.
Water and Sanitation for the
Urban Poor (WSUP), is a programme supported by United States Agency for
International Development (USAID).
It
is an innovation that brings local and global expertise to deliver water and
sanitation services to the urban poor, with CARE and Water Aid as partners in Ghana.
Under
the WSUP is the Oforikrom Water and
Sanitation (OWAS) project, which offers an opportunity for the
media to learn at firsthand, some interventions and approaches being used by
development partners and Government of Ghana to arrest the appalling water and
sanitation situation in the country.
No comments:
Post a Comment