A three-day national workshop for selected journalists across the country is underway in Accra with a call on the media to bridge the gap between research, and the public and policy makers to enhance development.
They are also to identify migration stories and make them interesting to entice audience to dig out for more information on the issue.
It is being organized by the Center for Migration Studies (CMS) in collaboration with Migrating out of Poverty Research Programme Consortium with funding from the Department for International Development (DFID).
The aim of the workshop is to increase coverage and improve quality of migration stories; develop sources and story ideas on migration stories; enhance the appreciation of the importance of migration to economic development and poverty reduction.
Professor Kofi Karikari, an Associate Professor in Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Ghana, Legon, said journalists report on migration related stories in their daily work and the workshop is to assist them to identify those aspects and the importance of migration in socio-economic development of the country.
He said it is necessary for journalists to come up with story ideas on migration issues to generate interest among their audiences.
He said migration cuts cross every facet of life including politics, government, governance, social, culture, and religion, among others.
Prof. Karikari therefore stressed the need to strengthen the media?s independent investigation and also sustain journalists? interest in covering migration stories through sponsorships.
Professor Alan Winters, Chief Executive Officer, Migrating out of Poverty, said most people migrate and go on to lead fuller, better lives with more opportunities, more income and more prosperity ? some of which is fed back to their families and communities of origin.
?But alongside there are others who migrate into situations that certainly are worse than those they left. People who are barely able to keep their heads above water as they make out a meagre living for themselves in their new homes, let alone having anything to spare for their families left behind,? he added.
He said public understanding of complex issues is an important stimulus to good policy, which in turn makes the lives of the poor better and stressed the need for journalists to help in getting decent information and data about migration.
?But to do that you need to know about and understand the issues in general as well as our research, our findings and our conclusions- and help us to explain this to others,? he said.
Professor Mariama Awumbila, Immediate Past Director of CMS, acknowledged that media plays bigger roles in disseminating research findings from the academia and expressed the hope that after the workshop the media in Ghana will focus more on migration stories.
She said mostly migration stories focused only on the negative aspects due to limited understanding of migration issues and the training workshop aimed at equipping journalists to improve on their reportage on the issue.
Dr Delali Badasu, Director, CMS, University of Ghana, Legon, said migration is one component of population which makes migrating studies very difficult due to lack of text books and articles on the topic.
She noted that Non-Governmental Organzations working in the sector were limited in number and urged the Center to bring them on board to enhance development.
About 15 journalists from all the 10 regions are participating in the training workshop.
GNA
