Most Reverend Charles Palmer-Buckle, Metropolitan Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra, on Thursday, called on media practitioners to desist from politicization and polarization of issues in the media to promote development.
He described the conducts of media practitioners as a “bid of political suicide”, which has scared away many foreign investors into the country.
He urged journalists to depict superior journalistic values to re-brand Ghana, to maintain its good cultural values.
Most Rev Palmer-Buckle said this at the Ninth Nuncio Trophy Awards Ceremony, for leading subscribers and promoters of the Catholic Standard and the National Catholic Weekly in Accra.
He said the newspaper was the most appropriate avenue, where the Pope could communicate with the Catholic bishops and faithfuls, as well as making known his mission and vision for the country.
He said the newspaper was an effective media instrument to portray the good values of Christianity to the nation, in order to win more souls to Christ.
He therefore urged Catholics to read the newspapers and to use it as an opportunity to evangelise to the public.
Ambassador Kabral Blay Amihere, Chairman of the National Media Commission, commended the Standard Newspapers and Magazines for its efforts at promoting press freedom and good governance in the country.
He urged Catholic journalists to be guided by the message of Christ and to be different from the pack, to promote peace in Africa.
Christ the King Catholic Church, in the Greater Accra Region, was adjudged the leading subscriber and promoter of the Catholic Standard newspaper.
The Nuncio award was established seven years ago by Archbishop George Kocherry, the then Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, to encourage members of the Church to patronize the paper.
An Apostolic Nuncio is the title given to the representative of the Pope in a given country.
The awards ceremony, which attracted Catholics from all over the country, had in attendance, the Most Rev Leon Kalenga, Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, Most Rev. Gabriel Mante, Bishop of Jasikan, Most Rev Philip Naamah, Archbishop of Tamale and other reverend Ministers from several parishes, as well as Catholic Sisters.
The Corpus Christi in Sakumono, was adjudged the second leading subscriber and promoter of the newspaper, Good Shepherd Parish in Tema Community 2, also in the Greater Accra was named the third best leading subscriber and promoter of the newspaper.
Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Ho, Volta region, was adjudged the National Winner outside Accra.