{
  "id": 19102296,
  "title": "Without media, economic policy means nothing to citizens – Dr Asiama",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/09/without-media-economic-policy-means-nothing-to-citizens-dr-asiama",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-09T05:11:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/without-media-economic-policy-means-nothing-to-citizens-dr-asiama/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Dr. Asiama, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, emphasizes the critical role of media in public understanding of economic policies. He argues that without media, economic policy is meaningless to citizens. Financial sector reforms, which are often complex, require journalists to explain them in simple terms. This includes outlining who benefits, what changes, and how citizens can protect their finances. Dr. Asiama highlights that professional journalism acts as society's compass, aiding the public in distinguishing facts from falsehoods and deepening their understanding of monetary policy, inflation, exchange rates, financial reforms, and digital finance. At the 30th Ghana Journalists Association Media Awards, Dr. Asiama stressed that the Bank of Ghana could not fulfill its mandate without the media and professional journalists. He pointed out that effective policies rely on public understanding, transparency, credibility, and accountability, all of which depend on open and effective engagement with media stakeholders. The Governor introduced the Governor's Economic and Financial Story of the Year Award at the awards ceremony, aiming to encourage high-quality reporting and enhance public understanding of economic issues. The award, won by Ms. Esther Aidoo from the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, includes a trip to the IMF/World Bank meetings, a laptop, internet data subscription, and opportunities for further education. Dr. Asiama noted that the Bank's decisions impact every household, business, and market in the country, and accurate reporting helps citizens grasp why interest rates and prices change. Additionally, he highlighted the media's role in promoting safe digital finance adoption, educating people about mobile money, digital payments, fraud risks, consumer rights, and more, especially in light of the increasing number of financial transactions conducted without visiting bank branches. While acknowledging that technology has transformed information sharing, Dr. Asiama also warns about the spread of misinformation, disinformation, online abuse, misleading data, and hate speech. He urges journalists to focus on depth, accuracy, and context rather than sensationalism, ensuring that economic reporting guides decisions rather than instilling fear and confusion. Dr. Asiama reiterated the Bank's commitment to a strong partnership with the media, essential for fostering a stable, transparent, and inclusive economy. The 30th GJA Media Awards celebrated excellence, advanced media freedom, and combatted hate speech in the digital age.",
  "summary": "Economic policies mean little to citizens if they do not understand them, Dr Johnson Pandit Asiama, Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), said, describing the media as an essential partner in promoting public understanding of economic developments.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}