Dr. Abednego Lamangin Bandim
The allocation of GH¢10 million as seed money for the Media Development Fund has come after years of waiting and calls for greater support for Ghana’s media industry, the MP for Bunkpurugu, Dr Abednego Lamangin Bandim, has said.
He said the announcement by President John Dramani Mahama had been welcomed across the political divide in Parliament, describing it as a significant commitment to an industry that had long looked forward to such support.
“We have waited for it for a very long time,” Dr Bandim said on Joy News’ PM Express on Monday, November 9.
He said the President’s announcement had immediately triggered discussions among lawmakers, with members on both sides of the House expressing support for the initiative.
According to him, the GH¢10 million commitment marked the first time a President had made what he considered a substantial financial pledge towards the development of the media in Ghana.
Dr Bandim said the President’s professional background in journalism and communications had also raised expectations that he would take steps to support the industry.
“People are not surprised because it was expected that it will take President John Mahama to do this, to make this announcement, to make this commitment, because he is one of us, a journalist himself,” he said.
He pointed to Mr Mahama’s experience as a journalist, public relations and communications practitioner, former Minister of Communications and member of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) as factors that made the announcement unsurprising.
The Bunkpurugu MP, who holds a PhD in communications management, said the President’s understanding of the media landscape had helped shape expectations that the long-awaited commitment would eventually materialise.
He also disclosed that discussions had started in Parliament on the legislative process for establishing the fund.
Dr Bandim said he had discussed the matter with the Ranking Member of the relevant committee, whom he identified as Munam, and indicated that the committee would take up the bill when it was presented as a Private Member’s Bill.
He said lawmakers were awaiting the bill before proceeding with consideration of the proposed fund.
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