UESD, GJA sign MoU to promote environmental literacy
The University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD) at Somanya has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Eastern Regional Chapter of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) to deepen collaboration and interests of the two institutions.
The partnership agreement, which covers a period of three years, will be subject to renewal and is expected to train journalists in environmental literacy, sustainability communication and professional communication journalism among GJA practitioners in the region.
The collaboration also includes enhancing of knowledge and reporting, capacity building of journalists in environmental sustainability, climate change, development communications, strengthening of UESD's public engagements and dissemination of research findings through the media.
The rest are promoting accurate science-based and solutions, environmental reporting in Ghana and fostering a long-term partnership that supports education, training of journalists and advocacy for sustainable development.
At a meeting to sign the agreement at the office of the Vice-Chancellor of the UESD last Wednesday, the leadership of the two institutions pledged their commitment to ensure that the union stood the test of time, as well as yielded positive results.
Representing the UESD were the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Eric Nyarko Sampson, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Professor Edward Wiafe Debrah, the Registrar, Mary Abena Agyapong and other management members.
The Eastern Region GJA was also represented by the Chairman, Stephen Ampem Darko Koranteng, the Organising Secretary, Gloria Edinam Atiase and other executive members of the association.
Prof. Sampson who was happy about the signing of the MoU, said his outfit would offer to assist journalists with scholarships within the GJA membership in the region to pursue degree programmes at the university.
That, he indicated, would also encourage the GJA members to show more interest and commitment in reporting of the UESD activities accurately without any form of bias.
Prof. Sampson said that it was appropriate to involve the GJA members in their activities for them to understand what exactly the university had been doing for journalists to help report accurately on the issues.
He also praised the leadership of the GJA for their excellent reportage which had shaped Ghana's democracy and the rule of law.
The Vice-Chancellor of the UESD gave an assurance of the university's unflinching support to ensure the partnership lives up to expectations and meets the desired outcomes.
Prof. Sampson commended the GJA for the partnership and expressed the hope that the collaboration would bear the needed fruits for the two institutions to benefit.
The Registrar of the UESD, Mary Agyepong, said the university had been an institution of learning for the future that had been focused on a sustainable environment and that without the environment, one had nowhere to go.
She indicated that UESD's partnership with the GJA in the region would offer journalists the understanding to tell their stories factually without negativity.
For his part, the Eastern Regional Chairman of the GJA, Stephen Ampem Darko Koranteng, who was highly elated about the collaboration, commended the UESD for such a gesture and stressed that the GJA would continue to work together with the UESD in line with the MoU signed for the benefit of the two institutions.
Mr Koranteng said the GJA would also support the UESD in the area of dissemination of research findings, policy briefs and community impact stories to the public through the media networks
According to the GJA Regional Chairman, the two institutions would collaborate effectively to design and deliver outreach programmes such as radio and television discussions, as well as publications on topics related to the environment and climate change.
That, Mr Koranteng stated, would give the student journalists the opportunity to engage and interact with professionals in the inky fraternity and at the same time support environmental communication initiatives.
He said the GJA would provide professional coverage of the UESD's major events including conferences, symposia, and other outreach programmes, such as ensuring accurate representation of institutional activities.
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