RAIL-KNUST, MEST, British High Commission Train Ghanaian Journalists On STI Reporting

Asempa Dawuro

Feb 25, 2025 - 21:37

Feb 26, 2025 - 19:43

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RAIL-KNUST, MEST, British High Commission Train Ghanaian Journalists On STI Reporting

By E Adu Gyamfi Odopa, Accra (gyamemma5@gmail.com)

About 30 Ghanaian Journalists drawn from radio, television, newspaper and online news portals have converged in Accra for a Capacity Building Workshop for Media Excellence in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Reporting.

The five days intensive workshop which opened on Monday 24 February and ends on Friday 28 February, 2025, will take participants through topics including a background of the UK-Ghana STI strategy, and an overview of STI.

Others are the role of media in STI, reporting techniques and ethics, writing and ethics, practical application and future trends, the future of STI reporting, ethics and innovation among others.

2023 was the year the world discovered generative Al (gen Al), 2024 is the year organizations truly began using and deriving business value from this new technology.

In the latest Mckinsey Global Survey on Al, 65 percent of respondents report that their organizations are regularly using gen AI, nearly double the percentage from just ten months ago from their previous survey.

Interest in generative Al has also brightened the spotlight on a broader set of Al capabilities. For the past six years, Al adoption by respondents' organizations has hovered at about 50 per cent.

In 2024, the survey finds that adoption has jumped to 72 per cent. Organizations are already seeing material benefits from gen Al use, reporting both cost decreases and revenue jumps in the business units deploying the technology.

The survey also provides insights into the kinds of risks presented by gen Al-most notably, inaccuracy, emerging practices of top performers to mitigate those challenges and capture value.

The training seek to deepen the understanding of STI by equipping media practitioners with the skills to report effectively on complex STI topics, thereby fostering deeper public understanding.

It also aims at enhancing reporting skills of journalists ability to translate technical STI information into accurate, engaging, and relatable content for diverse audiences.

The capacity building workshop is also expected to promote ethical journalism by highlighting professional considerations in STI reporting, emphasizing accuracy, transparency, and responsibility to uphold public trust.

It is organized under the UK- Ghana Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy by the Responsible Artificial Intelligence Lab (RAIL) of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), with funding from UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office and in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST).

Mr

Richard Sandall, Development Director, British High Commission in Accra - Ghana, in his remarks at the workshop opening, noted that Ghana can use STI to tackle challenges in all spheres of society including healthcare, transport, engineering for the socio - economic growth of the country.

He stated that this year's capacity building workshop which is the second edition, is to build the capacity of journalists in order to bridge the gap between STI and society emphasizing that previous edition has yielded a massive results with a lot of reporters in the area winning awards locally and internationally.

The Development Director stressed that STI reporting over the few years has greatly improved due to the training received by journalists, and further urged the workshop beneficiaries to uphold the principles of accuracy, truthfulness, and integrity in STI reporting.

Mr Kwamena Quaison, Director of Science, Technology and Innovation, Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MEST), on behalf of his Minister, said the role of his outfit in Innovation is intact and urged the participants to learn more on STI reporting to shape society.

He thanked RAIL-KNUST, British High Commission and other stakeholders for upholding and advancing professional development of media practitioners in STI reporting in Ghana.

Prof Jerry John Kpongo, Principal Investigator and Scientific Director, Responsible Artificial Intelligence Lab (RAIL) of KNUST, Indicated that there is a vacuum between scientists and society, thus the need to bring in Journalists as mouthpiece of the masses and as a link.

He entreated Journalists in Ghana and beyond to settle every misinformation, and myth surrounding STI and come out with the true findings for the general education purposes of society.

The Scientific Director implored scientists and STI reporters to communicate fully their research work, publications and other journals on scientific works for the general use of the population stressing that "together we can make STI reportage a success".

The Vice President, Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Linda Asante Agyei, expressed gratitude to RAIL - KNUST, British High Commission in Ghana, MEST and other stakeholders for the organisation of the capacity building workshop saying that it is timely and very useful in this era of technology-driven world.

She urged Ghanaian Journalists especially the beneficiaries of the capacity building workshop to take STI reporting to a higher level in society, though some strides have been made in the area noting that we must always strive to achieve the best.

Md Linda Agyei stated that Science is found everywhere in life and journalists must endeavour to bridge the gap between it and daily activities of man admonishing media practitioners to do continuous learning, form relationships with professionals in STI and acquire more research skills.

Artificial Intelligenc For Sustainable Development (Al4SD)

Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Development (Al4SD ) has a goal to promote responsible inclusive AI by African commnunities to address the use and deployment of the SDGS.

Send your articles to the Editor WhatsApp- +233202373920 Email - Odopa2@gmail.com

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