The Journalists for the Business Advocacy (JBA), a Media Practitioners Association committed to doing advocacy work for the growth of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs), in the country has pledged to hold policy makers' in-charge of the development of SMEs accountable in consonance with article 165 clauses 5 of the 1992 constitution.
This was contained in the constitution of the group which was adopted at its First Annual General Meeting (AGM) at Akosombo, attended by members of the association from all over the country.
The AGM elected Mr Wisdom Awuku, a journalist, formerly with the Daily Guide News Paper, as its first National President for the next two years, with Mr Edmund Quaynor, Ghana News Agency (GNA), as Vice-President.
Other executive members were Mr Mustapha Suleiman of Daily Graphic, Secretary, Ms Agnes Munyuhitum of Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) Treasurer and Mr Albert Oppong Ansah of GNA as Public Affairs Officer.
Closing the AGM, Mr Dave Agbenu, Acting General Secretary of the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA), called on the association to collaborate with the Institute of Finance and Economic Journalists who have much experience in reporting on economic affairs.
He said with the exploration of the oil finds in the Western Region, many Small and Medium Scale Enterprises would be springing up and urged members of the association to be interested in those new enterprises and see how they could offer their support.
Mr Agbenu assured that the GJA would keep its doors open to members of the association for the necessary support and co-operation.
Mr Awuku thanked members for the trust they had in him and assured that he would do his best with the support of members of the executive to ensure that the association achieves its set objective.
He expressed the appreciation of the association to the GJA, the BUSAC Fund and KAB Governance Consult for offering the opportunity to the founding members of the association to participate in the GJA/BUSAC Fund Project "Using the media to strengthening business advocacy".
The association which started with individual media practitioners participating in a project has grown to become a national association with network throughout the country.