Prez. Mahama allocates GH¢10m to Media Development Fund in 2027 Budget

In the 2027 national budget, President John Dramani Mahama has earmarked GH¢10 million to launch the Media Development Fund, aimed at bolstering journalists' welfare, professional training, and investigative journalism practices. This pledge was made at the 30th-anniversary celebration of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Media Awards, where the President reiterated the government's dedication to enhancing the media sector.

The funds will serve as an initial financial boost for the initiative, which Mahama indicated will be revived following its announcement at the previous year's GJA Media Awards. The primary objectives of the fund include enhancing journalists' welfare, promoting professional development, fostering investigative reporting, promoting digital literacy, and providing safety training.

President Mahama expressed satisfaction with the government's allocation and emphasized the need for additional funding from corporate entities to ensure the fund has the necessary resources to fulfill its goals. KGL and the Bank of Ghana have been specifically identified as potential partners for this endeavor. The President committed to actively collaborating with the GJA to secure further financial contributions from various corporate institutions, citing KGL and the Bank of Ghana as key targets.

Mahama assured journalists that the government will persist in engaging with the GJA and other stakeholders to translate the commitment into tangible support while upholding the media's editorial independence. Furthermore, the President urged experienced media professionals, particularly editors, to mentor younger journalists by providing them with opportunities to develop practical newsroom skills.

He emphasized the importance of senior journalists guiding younger colleagues in areas such as analyzing public accounts and utilizing findings to create more impactful investigative reports. "A young journalist who can sit with an editor and work through a set of public accounts will carry that skill into every story that follows," Mahama concluded.