Media personnel across the Greenbelt Authority's project areas recently vowed to support implementation of the projects in order to ensure Malawians' benefits.
The pen pushers based in the project districts of Karonga, Nkhatabay, Mangochi, Salima, Chikwawa and Thyolo made the commitment during orientation sessions that the Authority conducted in the project sites as a way of enlightening the media on GBA work across the country.
The Greenbelt Authority conducted the media orientation meetings as one way of opening up the fulfilment of the Access to Information Law, as well as creating familiarisation of the Authority's work with the general public.
Speaking during one of the sessions in Karonga District, Director of Irrigation Operations Dr. Chisomo Kumbuyo said the GBA fully understands the role that media plays in bridging the gap between institutions and right holders, hence the need for media to play their role positively.
"As members of the media you need to be the first ones to understand projects such as the one that you have here under GBA so that you can be able to write positively about it and civic educate the masses here on how they can support the project as well as benefit from it all together," he said.
He further went on to invite members of the media to play the watch-dog role in protecting government investments, reminding them that they are citizens first, before they identify as media personnel.
"When government invests, it invests our money, all of us. So even before you play your usual role of as media, remember it is your tax money, and if anything wrong is going on, you need to play the good citizen role and report to authorities so that government investments can be protected," he emphasized.
In agreement, President for Karonga Press Club, Jordan Phiri commended the Greenbelt Authority for considering media sensitization a critical part of its projects implementation, adding the meeting was an eye opener.
He said at times media personnel end up reporting negatively or wrongly about issues simply because there was not enough information in their possession, as such the GBA sensitization was a stitch in time.
"On behalf of my colleagues, I would like to reaffirm our commitment to accord you with all the support required for your projects to receive citizen ownership and participation," Phiri said.
In a similar vein, his Salima counterpart, Fostina Kamanga of Malawi News Agency found the orientation session being a key activity that allowed her team to positively interact with the GBA in reportage of its projects.
The Greenbelt Authority is implementing projects at Nthola-Ilola in Karonga, Lweya in Nkhatabay, Chikwawa Scheme in Salima, Mlambe in Mangochi and Nchalo and Mwananjobvu in Chikwawa District.
