The United Press for Development Network (UPDN) is calling on government to consider a stimulus package for journalists and media practitioners in the country as the fight against the global pandemic continues.
According to the President of the group, Kofi-Asante Mensah, announcing a stimulus package for journalists will boost the enthusiasm of practitioners to deliver as suspected in this trying moments adding, the media are playing a key role in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak in Ghana.
The President of the group, in an interview today April 8 2020, said the media is at the forefront of disseminating information and leading public education nationwide hence their consideration by government for stimulus packages
”We are prompting government to consider the media as part of frontline health workers in this Covid fight, more because the media as reporters and practitioners are at the forefront of this fight and we believe if there is no knowledge to share to the public this fight will be rendered quirt redundant. If we have to go to the forefront, gather information and push this to the public then we have to be part of the essential workers and be given stimulus package or everything that will benefit them to be able to do this work efficiently’’.
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The President of UPDN also proposed a means of transportation to convey media personalities to their various destinations during the discharge of their duties arguing not all media houses have means of transportation for its news reporters.
He added: ’If some attention is giving to media personalities, we believe this will motivate us to do our best. Some are even working from home; it will be good if government reduces data cost for us’’.
The President of UPDN also encouraged the media to pay attention to all safety protocols, calling on the government to support the media with the provision of personal protection equipment (PPEs) to enable and enhance field reportage in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
