The Ministry of Information has called on stakeholders within the radio industry to use their platforms to help bring peace and unity particularly to areas prone to conflicts.
In a statement to commemorate World Radio Day yesterday, the ministry said radio plays a vital role in promoting understanding and reconciliation, providing a platform for diverse voices, and breaking down barriers to create a more peaceful world.
“Radio has the unique ability to reach people in every corner of the world. It has proven to be a valuable tool in conflict prevention and peacebuilding through education or information dissemination and by providing a platform for marginalised communities to share their stories. Radio has the potential to bring people together and foster a culture of peace if used”.
The Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah in the statement explained that radio has contributed immensely to the growth of our democracy and serves as an essential tool for accountability, public education, and countering misinformation.
“Whenever we have had significant challenges, radio has been a rapid tool for reaching out to our population and countering this information. So, on this special day in Ghana, we at the Ministry of Information celebrate the industry and its work over the years.organisers and communities worldwide are coming together to celebrate the power of radio and its contributions to peace and conflict prevention”.
This year’s commemoration was themed “Radio and Peace.”
Mr Oppong Nkrumah also advised media houses that operate mainly in areas where sporadic violence has been registered to conduct themselves in ways that promote peace.
He said the conduct of media personnel can occasionally escalate tensions instead of helping to bring peace in those times.
“So on a day like this, as we celebrate World Radio Day with the theme Radio and Peace, we would like to, in particular, remind our colleagues who operate in places where sometimes tensions may rise and explode into a conflict that we have a specific responsibility to help in the exercise to bring peace and unity, and not necessarily fuel tensions. And on this day, we celebrate all who are in this industry”.
