COMMUNICATING GHEITI – COMMUNICATING GHEITI – THE ROLE OF THE MEDIATHE ROLE OF THE MEDIA

By KOJO YANKAH

President of the African University College of Communications (AUCC)& Communication Consultant

Email : kyankah@aucc.edu.gh; kyankah60@yahoo.com

COMMUNICATING GHEITI – COMMUNICATING GHEITI – GENERAL PRINCIPLESGENERAL PRINCIPLES

INTERNAL COMMUNICATION NECESARYDECISIONS OF MULTI - STAKEHOLDER GROUP

NEED TO BE PUBLICISED VALIDATION PROCESS (Ensuring that all

companies report) REQUIRES SCRUTINY AND FOLLOW-UP

PUBLIC AND STAKEHOLDER AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING IS CRUCIAL

IMPACT ON THE ECONOMY NEEDS TO BE KNOWN

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IMPORTANCE OF THE MEDIAIMPORTANCE OF THE MEDIA

The unavoidable partners when it comes to transparency.

The media show interest in companies undertaking their corporate social responsibility as well working according to national regulations on mining, gas and oil drilling etc.

GHEITI has to have a good working relationship with the media.

The Media would be a crucial target as well as partner

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MEDIA INTERVENTIONSMEDIA INTERVENTIONS

COVERING ACTIVITIES OF GHEITIINVESTIGATING REPORTS AND PERCEPTIONS

FOR NEWS INTERVIEWING FOR CORROBORATION AND

SOUND BITES IN PRINT & ELECTRONIC MEDIAATTENDING PRESS CONFERENCESFOLLOWING UP ON LEADSDOING FEATURE STORIES ON GHEITI

SECRETARIAT OR RELEVANT COMPANIES

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MEDIA CHANNELSMEDIA CHANNELS

PRINT NEWSPAPERSELECTRONIC MEDIANEW MEDIA FILM INFORMATION SERVICES DEPARTMENTNEWS AGENCIES

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NATURE & TYPES OF MEDIANATURE & TYPES OF MEDIA

OPERATING IN A FREE PRESS ENVIRONMENT

MORE PRIVATE THAN STATE-OWNED MEDIA

THERE ARE CLEAR PARTISAN INTERESTS IN MEDIA

FEW ARE CLEARLY NEUTRALMOST RADIO PERSONNEL ARE NOT

TRAINED JOURNALISTSMEDIA VERY ALERT & AGGRESSIVE

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CHALLENGESCHALLENGES

REPORTING ON CASES OF LACK OF CONSENSUS AMONG STAKEHOLDERS

UNDERSTANDING THE COMPLEX TRANSACTIONS IN COMPANY PRACTICE eg royalties, taxation, corporate social investments

AWARENESS OR LACK OF IT AMONG COMMUN ITY MEMBERS

COVERING PERCEPTIONS AND MISPERCEPTIONS ABOUT EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES

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GHEITI STAKEHOLDERSGHEITI STAKEHOLDERS

GOVT & APPROPRIATE AGENCIESTHE MEDIA – LOCAL & INTERNATIONALCOMMUNITIES/TRADITIONAL AUTHORITIESBANK OF GHANAAUDITOR GENERAL/IRSCIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONSRELEVANT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEEMINING & OIL COMPANIESTRADE UNIONSMULTILATERAL ORGANIZATIONSJUDICIARY

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QUALITIES NEEDED TO QUALITIES NEEDED TO COMMUNICATE GHEITICOMMUNICATE GHEITI

DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE OF GHEITI ISSUESSENSE OF FAIRNESSOBJECTIVITYACCURACY IMPARTIALITY ABILITY TO PUBLISH REJOINDERSREADINESS TO CORRECT MIS-IMPRESSIONS

CREATEDCOURAGE AND MATURITY IN HANDLING

‘SENSITIVE’ STORIES

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GHEITI & THE MEDIAGHEITI & THE MEDIA

GHEITI MUST :PROVIDE REGULAR, TIMELY AND ACCURATE

INFORMATION TO THE MEDIAHAVE CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLANSBE RESPONSIVE TO MEDIA REQUESTSSEE MEDIA AS PARTNER IN THE SEARCH FOR

TRANSPARENCY & ACCOUNTABILITYCONSCIOUSLY AND DELIBERATELY SEEK TO

IMPROVE RELATIONS WITH THE MEDIA.

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THE MEDIA & GHEITITHE MEDIA & GHEITI

THE MEDIA MUST :RESPECT THE INTEGRITY OF GHEITILEARN TO CROSS-CHECK RUMOURS & HEARSAYS WITH GHEITI

SEE GHEITI AS A NATIONAL ASSET BE A WATCHDOG OF THE INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE

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CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

THE MEDIA & GHEITI ARE PARTNERS IN THE SEARCH FOR PROBITY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY IN THE EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES.

THEY NEED TO WORK TOGETHER.

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THANK YOU !THANK YOU !

Delivered by KOJO YANKAHPresident, African University College of Communications (AUCC)

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