The Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) with funding from the European Union (EU), has formed a media forum to champion electoral reforms that will improve integrity, transparency, and peaceful elections in the country.

The MERF seeks to build the capacities of journalists and create platforms for media practitioners to discuss and champion for electoral reforms in the areas including election results management, parliamentary election petition adjudication, and affirmative action.

Its initial meeting held in Accra to promote a common understanding among journalists on key issues of electoral reforms in Ghana and best practices from other African countries.

Two zonal (Northern and Southern) capacity-building workshops will be held for 70 selected media practitioners from across the country, as part of cultivating the media as capable allies in advancing advocacy on the proposed reforms.

Addressing forum members, national coordinator of the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), Albert Arhin, said: “the media forum aims to provide a platform for open dialogue and constructive discussions on electoral reforms in Ghana.

“Through this collaboration, various platforms will be used to advocate for reforms and ensure transparent, credible, and peaceful elections in Ghana.”

Programmess officer with CDD-Ghana, Joseph Oti Frimpong, added that: "The forum will equip journalists with the knowledge and capacity to push the efforts for electoral reforms on election results management, parliamentary election adjudication and the Affirmative Action Bill.”

Two journalists, Wilberforce Asare of Asaase radio and Nimatu Yakubu Atouyese with GhanaWeb were selected as conveners for the MERF.

They indicated their willingness to facilitate the media’s role in advocating for reforms. 

Twenty-two media practitioners participated in the inauguration meeting were selected from print, online, radio and television stations.