Journalists conclude economic, financial reporting course

 

23 journalists in the English speaking counties of West Africa have on Friday concluded a three-day training course on economic and financial reporting.

The training was held in The Gambia and was graced by representative from Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leon and The Gambia. The training was sponsored by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and conducted by the Thomas Reuters Foundation in United Kingdom.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, the minister of Information and Communication Infrastructure Ebrima Sillah said journalists have a great role to play in helping the consumers and businesses to understand the economic status of their country.

“Therefore helping these journalists by exposing them with some of this new technics and fundamental will go a long way in shaping their understanding of the realities especially on consumer behavior and market Trans.”

He added that we have also seen a fundamental shift in West Africa from conflict to adapting democracy and good governance, saying that will help businesses flourish.

“The pattern in which we are going in Africa, I think is fundamental that the media should also adapt to. This cannot happen without constant training and capacity building,” he stated.

Hon. Minister reiterated that the government can’t do it alone and the respective media houses don’t have the capacity to financial conduct this kind of training.

He thanked the IMF for creating the great opportunity for journalists to come together and build their capacities on the core issues of business and financial reporting.

He said IMF came at the right time when West Africa is moving toward the direction of adapting a single currency integrating our economic, at the same time helping our journalists to break complex issues into a very simple language for our people to understand our businesses to adapt.

“I reported 10 years for BBC but it’s very rare for me to report on business because you need to have the knowledge, the technical know-how and to break down the difficult jargon for people to understand.”

He hoped that from today, when they read papers, listen to Radio and Television programs, they will see some fundamental different on how journalists use to do their reporting on economic.

He calls on the IMF to look onto other areas within the greater issues of financial and economic reporting, so that journalists can continue to be exposed.

Lucie Mboto Fouda, Senior Communication Officer IMF expressed delight, saying Gambia is the right place to organise the training. 

She thanked all delegates from the five member countries in West Africa, adding that this is the beginning of networking relationship. “I hope that you have learnt something that will be able to help you in your work on a daily basis.”