The Asuogyaman District Chief Executive, Mr Johnson Ahiakpor, on Friday appealed to the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) to take measures to protect the profession against infiltration by people with dubious character.
He said the GJA had the capacity to put in place the machinery that would ensure that only people who meet certain laid down criteria were allowed to practice to help protect the image of the profession and the interest of the country.
Mr Ahiakpor was answering a question from media personnel who took part in the "Meet the press' series organized by the Eastern Regional Branch of the GJA at Atimpoku on Friday.
Last year one Akoto, who posed as a journalist working with Radio Gold in Accra and Rite FM in Somanya, duped Mr Ahiakpor and he reported the case to the police.
Akoto was prosecuted and jailed.
He said other professionals like accountants, lawyers and other professional groupings had instituted some certification and other processes to protect their profession from infiltration.
Mr Ahiakpor expressed the hope that the GJA could also brainstorm and come out with measures to help reduce the easy infiltration into the profession, the growing suspicion of corruption and damaging of the image of the profession.