– Demands Ironclad Governance to Stave Off Cronyism
The Private Newspapers and Online News Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG) has thrown its weight behind President John Dramani Mahama’s revival of a long-dormant National Media Fund, hailing it as a bulwark against the industry’s creeping collapse yet issuing stark warnings that without rigorous safeguards, this could devolve into another conduit for political patronage.
The proposal lands amid a perfect storm: Operational costs are spiraling, advertising gigs evaporating, training scarce, and smaller outlets the lifeblood of independent journalism staring down existential threats.
These pressures, PRINPAG contends, imperil not just media viability but the very independence that underpins Ghana’s democratic edifice. The Fund’s timing is “timely and essential,” they assert, a direct counterpunch to forces eroding the sector’s vibrancy.
Mahama earns rare bipartisan plaudits for resurrecting his 2016 vision, scuttled when his first administration bowed out. Now, with the NDC firmly in control, PRINPAG expresses guarded optimism: His “renewed leadership” and track record on national advancement signal this iteration will stick. Yet the praise is laced with urgency operationalize it now, or risk condemning journalists and outlets to further marginalization.
To avert the pitfalls of past initiatives, PRINPAG insists on a fortress of governance: A dedicated secretariat, a professional fund administrator, and an independent board stocked with seasoned experts to oversee disbursements.
This structure, they argue, is non-negotiable for transparency and autonomy, shielding the Fund from the influence-peddling that has plagued similar state-backed schemes.
The call extends beyond government: Media players, donors, civil society, the private sector, and citizens must coalesce to fortify Ghana’s media landscape, where a robust Fourth Estate remains indispensable for accountability and progress.
PRINPAG pledges collaboration, but the subtext is clear deliver a sustainable, untainted framework, or watch the sector’s fragility undermine the republic’s foundations.
The communiqué underscores a high-stakes gamble: Mahama’s fund could rejuvenate journalism’s watchdog role, or if mishandled entrench the very dependencies it seeks to dismantle.