Department of Communication Studies at UG, marks 50th anniversary

 Story by Evans Adjei

Final year production                                                                              



PAV Ansah(standing) engaging participants in rural reporting

The Department of Communication Studies of the University of Ghana has held its 50th anniversary celebration under the theme, ’50 years of communication scholarship and training: Reimagining the Field in a Digital Era.’

The department was founded in 1972 and has a long history, beginning as the Institute of Journalism and Mass Communications and ending up under the School of Information and Communication Studies today.

As it celebrates, its fifty years, the department recounts its numerous contributions to the development of Ghana. In an exclusive interview with some faculty members, they have been throwing light on the achievements so far by the department over the years.

The head of department Dr. Abena Animwaa Yeboah-Banin said the department has produced key industry players who have contributed to Ghana’s development.

“The department stands tall wherever you go in this country, if you mention communication studies, you mention graduate level communication studies, the place of preference is this department and we are proud of that. We think it is something worth celebrating and in a very big way also. We have produced some very key people in industry who have contributed to Ghana’s development in very diverse ways that makes us proud also. I can give you a very tall list from former president John Mahama, Professor Kojo Yankah, madam Dzifa Bampoe, madam Aba Lokko, professor Amoakohene, Mr. Kwaku Sakyi Addo and the list goes on and on and it is a source of pride to us because wherever they go, they leave footprints that re-emphasize our quality and ensure that we are still continuing to blaze the trail.”

One of the founding objectives of the department is to improve the practice and understanding of journalism and communication. Former head of department, Professor Audrey Gadzekpo said with the expansion in the media landscape, producing well trained communicators is always important.

“I think that communication and media are very fundamental in democracies like Ghana. So, Ghana is now a democratic country, and there has been a lot of expansions in the media landscape, there is social media now as well and so I can see that the future is bright. There will always be a need for well-trained communicators who are able to respond to the dynamism of both the communication industry broadly defined as well as the media industry in particular.”

Prof. Kwame Karikari. Former director of department of communication studies

Professor Kwame Karikari who is also a former director of the department has revealed how some key members of the department played a role in press freedom in the country.

“In some ways, lecturers from here have been also very activists in some of the issues of democracy. For instance, in the 1990’s, when press freedom was under attack, it is from here that some of us initiated an ad hock coalition called, friends of freedom of expression which also worked with the Ghana journalists Association and some other individuals, to pressure against the on slot against press freedom."

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

ONLINE SHOPPING AND ITS IMPACT ON SOCIETY

Image
Sheila Owusu (picture source: online) We used to live in a world where consumers went to the market in order to gather all of their shopping needs, from food, clothes, electrical, hardware and everything in between, but over the past ten years all that has changed due to the global impact of e-commerce. E-commerce allows consumers to search, compare and buy products and services online at the touch of a few keys either at home or on the move. The simple, flexible and hassle-free nature of e-commerce is the main reason why it is one of the Internet’s most widely used services.  Lady shopping online (picture source : online) According to eMarketer, online retail sales will reach $6.39 trillion, with ecommerce taking up 21.8% of total retail sales.  (picture source: eMarketer website) Most people sell online as a side job, Adepa Yeboah, a student and online seller, says she began her business when she started university and is ready to graduate, and she was able to pay for her studies th...
Read more

Kayanmata: the prevalent sex aphrodisiacs and their side effect.

Image
source: Hannah Bentum Goron Tula “Kayanmata” originated from the Northern tribes of Nigeria with the main ingridients being honey, tiger nuts, camel’s milk, millet, herbs and roots. There are different types of Kayan Mata namely Gindin Ayu, Zuman Mata, Obaa sima, tighten stone, Vagina candies, vagina sweetening, vagina salt and more.  This act as sex or love enhancers for couples. The products have been trending on social media as the merchants openly advertise them and also post their clients’ testimonies on the efficacy. The business is thriving on social media and drawing more people.   It is literally interpreted as “women sauce” from Hausa language, Kayan Mata. II is a generic name for a range of aphrodisiacs. However, there are some for men and some for women. According to observers, for the products efficacy, some critics insinuate that Kayan Mata products are love potions or charms used by women to keep husbands away from other women.  But a seller, Ameriya ...
Read more