President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Albert Dwumfour, has emphasised the association's strong dedication to fostering professionalism among both practicing and aspiring journalists.

“We will continue to initiate programmes and explore opportunities for the professional development of members. And as we make such effort, we also encourage our members to live above reproach and always maintain high professional standards,” he said

Mr Dwumfour addressed attendees during the recent inauguration of the GJA Campus Chapter at the University of Education, Winneba, last Friday. The event's central focus was on the role of the Ghana Journalists Association in promoting professionalism within the field of journalism.

“As journalists, our first obligation is to the truth and our first loyalty is to the citizens. It is only through good journalism that we can solve our societal problems. Therefore, the GJA will strive to empower its members to be independent, free and bold to serve the interest of citizens for our common good. It will also encourage professionalism and all times and push for zero tolerance for misinformation, fake news, misrepresentations, exaggerations, and stories that promote prejudices, misconceptions, hatred, violent conflicts, and defamation” he said

According to him, journalism thrives on credibility, and young media professionals must practice the profession with integrity.

“As we all know, journalism thrives on credibility, and to be considered a professional, a member of the media must possess the following characteristics: Integrity, upholding the ethics of journalism, Objectivity, Accuracy, Promoting development, and the need to upgrade oneself. The GJA always encourages young journalists to read more books and do more research to enrich their stories, features, documentaries, and general content,”