Journalists schooled on best practices for financial reporting

Journalists for Business Advocacy (JBA), a media advocacy group for small and medium scale enterprises in the country, has organized a two-day workshop to enhance the capacity of journalists who report on finance and issues on the economy, in Kumasi.

The workshop, which is the fourth in the series of training programmes organized by JBA this year, and the first in Kumasi, aimed at exposing financial journalists to the evolving trends and dynamics in financial and economic reporting ‘to achieve effective impact on the local economy.’

General Manager of Ghana News Agency (GNA), Dr. Bernard Otabil, who was a key resource person and also chaired the programme, admonished journalists, particularly those who report on the financial sector, to regularly seek knowledge in order to keep in touch with new development within the financial market.

He entreated practitioners to strive to remain outstanding among their peers with their accurate and factual reportage, either on the finances of the country or any other sector or issue the reports cover.

Similarly, the Area Manager of Ecobank Ghana, Zone 8, Mr. Eugene-Amo-Mesi, on behalf of his Managing Director lauded efforts by JBA to contribute to the economic development of the country through its advocacy activities.

He was particularly appreciative with the focus of JBA on the SME sector which he quoted a report by United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) which cites SMEs to be accounting for more than 90 percent of registered businesses in Africa.

As Ecobank celebrates its 25^th anniversary in the country this year as the largest bank in profit, total assets, loans and others, he reiterated the Bank’s commitment to support the activities and programmes of JBA.

The programme was done with support from the Bank of Ghana (BoG), Ecobank Ghana Limited and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning. It was organized under the theme “improving knowledge base for effective finance reporting.”

Participants were drawn from the northern sector of the country, notably; Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Nothern, Upper East and the Upper West regions. They were treated to a number of topics including basic macroeconomic analysis, relationship macroeconomic accounts, the financial market, analyzing financial reports among others.

Dr. Johnson P. Asiamah, Bank of Ghana, and Dr. Christian Ahortor, Chief Economist, WAMI, were part of the key resources persons who led the programme.