{
  "id": 19284917,
  "title": "GH¢10m media fund: ‘We need clear rules’ – MFWA",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/10/gh-10m-media-fund-we-need-clear-rules-mfwa",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-10T04:50:43.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/gh%c2%a210m-media-fund-we-need-clear-rules-mfwa/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has cautioned that any proposed GH¢10 million Media Development Fund must be accompanied by clear governance and accountability structures to ensure successful support for Ghana's media industry. The Foundation's Programme Manager, Kwaku Krobea Asante, stated that while President John Mahama's announcement of the fund was positive, its effectiveness would heavily rely on the administration, eligibility criteria for support, and measures to prevent political interference and misuse. Mr Asante emphasized the importance of learning from other nations' experiences with media development funds, such as France, Scandinavian countries, Senegal, Benin, Burkina Faso, and Niger, noting that a significant challenge in those initiatives has been ensuring the funds are utilized for their intended purposes. He pointed out that in 2013, the MFWA and other civil society organizations raised concerns about the handling of a previous GH¢1 million media development allocation, revealing unanswered questions about the procurement and distribution of laptops and other equipment. Furthermore, Mr Asante recalled other announcements of media development funds by previous Finance Ministers, highlighting the need for a detailed examination of the latest proposal before placing too much trust in it. He urged stakeholders to focus on establishing transparent rules, criteria for selecting beneficiaries, and the nature of assistance, while also addressing concerns about partisan political interests and the eligibility of media houses. Mr Asante stressed that the fund could significantly benefit the industry, particularly in helping media organizations cover operating costs, but stressed the importance of building the fund on transparent, independent, and accountable foundations.",
  "summary": "The proposed GH¢10 million Media Development Fund must be backed by clear governance and accountability structures to ensure it delivers meaningful support to Ghana’s media industry, the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has cautioned. The Foundation’s Programme Manager, Kwaku Krobea Asante, said the announcement of the fund by President John Mahama was welcome, but […]",
  "key_points": [
    "MFWA warns GH¢10m Media Development Fund needs clear governance structures.",
    "Lessons from France, Scandinavia, Senegal, Benin, Burkina Faso, and Niger highlighted.",
    "Previous GH¢1m allocation raised concerns about procurement and distribution."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The success of this massive injection of capital depends on establishing rigorous governance to prevent the political interference and mismanagement that plagued previous attempts at media industry support.",
  "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."
}