The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has warned that the newly announced GH¢10 million Media Development Fund, unveiled by President John Mahama, will only succeed if backed by clear governance and accountability structures. Programme Manager Kwaku Krobea Asante said the initiative is welcome, but its impact hinges on how it is administered, who qualifies for support and safeguards against political interference.
Asante highlighted that Ghana has previously launched similar funds, yet questions about management and distribution remained unanswered. He urged the government to learn from countries with established media development arrangements, citing France, Scandinavian states, Senegal, Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger as examples. The chief obstacle in those programmes, he noted, has been ensuring funds reach their intended purposes.
He called for transparent rules governing the fund, including clear criteria for selecting beneficiaries and the nature of assistance to be provided. In 2013, MFWA and other civil society groups raised concerns over a GH¢1 million allocation that was reportedly used to purchase laptops for journalists, but the process lacked explanation, leaving questions about procurement and beneficiary selection unanswered.
Asante also questioned how beneficiaries would be identified and what conditions media organisations and individual journalists would need to meet to access the money. He warned against using public funds to advance partisan political interests, stressing that media houses with clear political agendas should not receive support.
While the fund could help media organisations cover operating costs, Asante urged stakeholders to look beyond the initial allocation and ensure the programme is built on transparent, independent and accountable foundations before placing confidence in it.
