Accra, Dec.03, GNA — The Coca-Cola Bottling Company Ghana Limited and JN Products, manufacturers of household detergents and cosmetics, on Thursday donated some products to the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) to enhance its preparedness ahead of the General Election.
Coca-Cola Company donated soft drinks worth GH¢20,000.00 whilst JN Products gave out two thousand pieces of hand sanitizers.
Mr Ernest Yeboah Obeng, Cooperate Social Initiative and Communications Lead, Coca-Cola Company, said the media was the strongest institution of every government and played a key role in informing and educating citizens.
He said the gesture was to support journalists as they went about the “tedious task of providing election coverage.”
Mr Obeng said the beverage Company had also embarked on the “Open Like Never Before” campaign, which would allow it to donate 10 pesewas each on the purchase of every 1.5 litre of Coke, Fanta or Sprite into the Ghana Covid-19 Private Sector Fund to support businesses affected by the pandemic.
Coca-Cola had also made donations to hospitals, provided beverages to frontline workers, and supported communities in times of need during the peak of Covid-19.
Mr Joseph Nii Sempe Nyarko, Chief Executive Officer of JN Products, said the donation was to appreciate the media for the professionalism with which they had executed their duties over the years.
He said since Ghana still had active Covid-19 cases, it was necessary for journalists to protect themselves as they went about their election coverage duties on December 7.
JN Products was, therefore, giving the sanitizers to provide that protection, he said.
Mr Affail Monney, the GJA President, who received the items, said the toil and services of journalists had not gone unnoticed and called on other cooperate institutions to go to their aid with similar supports.
“Elections serve as the centrepiece of democracy so the least citizens can do is to incentivize journalists so they would be motivated to work well. We hope these donations will spur them on to be at their utmost best on Election Day,” he said.
Mr Monney said as part of activities by the GJA to mark the coverage of the 2020 General Election, the Ghana International Press Centre would be turned into a hub where there would be a live band session alongside eating and drinking.
The GJA President said avenues would be created for various interviews and asked all political actors to patronise the Centre on Election Day to aid Ghana showcase the best in terms of Electoral Journalism and democracy to the rest of the world.
He urged journalists to inject the highest degree of professionalism and safety as they went about their duties and adhere to all Covid-19 safety protocols.
“The intensity of political campaigns do not obscure the fact that we are still at risk and the danger is real. It is not wise to overlook the dangers. We need to be cautious at all times and the use of hand sanitizers is one of the ways we can stay safe,” he said.
Mr Monney called on politicians to focus their energies on winning elections and not to attack the media, adding; “We have no power over the outcome of elections. We are only there to provide coverage.”
