The International Fund for Public Interest Media (IFPM) is set to establish its regional headquarters in Ghana, marking a crucial step in its mission to support public interest journalism in the Africa & Middle East region.
The announcement was made by IFPM’s Regional Director, Makmid Kamara, during the Ministry of Information’s Stakeholders Review Meeting on Media Support Programs on Tuesday, November 7 at the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Kamara expressed his gratitude for the support received from the Ghanaian government and its Ministry of Information. He acknowledged the leadership role that Ghana has been playing in various sectors and praised Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah for championing Ghana’s position and encouraging IFPM to not only come to Ghana but also establish its regional headquarters in the country.
“Ghana is playing a leadership role in a number of area and a number of sector and this is one of the leadership roles,” he said.
Mr. Kamara explained the rationale behind choosing Ghana as the location for IFPM’s regional headquarters, saying, “The fund could have been established anywhere in Africa, but we chose Ghana because there is a demonstration of not just will but also interest. The fund’s work is complementary to the media support program, and the leadership of the Ghanaian government and the Ghanaian people in supporting media for the protection of democracy.”
The establishment of IFPM’s regional headquarters in Ghana comes at a crucial time when public interest journalism is facing multiple threats on a global scale. These threats include capture, misinformation, disinformation, and the challenges of sustainability and economic resilience.
The Stakeholders Review Meeting aimed to evaluate the progress of the Media Support Program under the Ministry of Information, addressing questions such as the awareness of these programs among stakeholders, the results of their implementation, key challenges, and how to garner more support from stakeholders and partners. It also explored the possibility of institutionalizing these programs to ensure their continuity beyond the current executive administration.
The event brought together significant media practitioners and agencies, including the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), Private Newspapers Publishers and Distributors Association of Ghana (PRINGPAG), National Media Commission (NMC), and the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), along with managers and editors from various media houses.
