The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), with funding support from the German Development Cooperation GIZ, has successfully organized the inaugural convening of the Community of Practice (CoP) for Investigative Journalists in Ghana. The event, held on Thursday, October 2, 2025, at the Tomreik Hotel in East Legon, Accra, brought together investigative journalists committed to advancing accountability journalism in the country.
The Community of Practice has been established by the MFWA under its project titled “Countering Corruption through Accountability Journalism and Improved Freedom of Expression Environment in Ghana.” The CoP seeks to serve as a professional learning and collaboration platform for investigative journalists to exchange experiences, share resources, and adopt best practices that enhance transparency, good governance, and public-interest reporting.
The initiative forms part of the Participation, Accountability, Integrity for a Resilient Democracy (PAIReD) programme, commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), co-financed by the European Union (EU) and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), and implemented by GIZ in cooperation with Ghana’s Ministry of Finance.
In her remarks, Rosemond Aryeetey, the Senior Programme Manager for the Media for Democracy and Good Governance Programme at the MFWA, underscored the importance of building a strong, connected community of investigative journalists who can collectively tackle corruption and misuse of public resources through evidence-based reporting. She noted that “the initiative is timely, given the increasing need for collaborative journalism to address systemic governance challenges, promote good governance and accountability in Ghana.”
She further emphasized that establishing the community will help develop practical solutions to the many challenges facing investigative journalists. Ms. Aryeetey encouraged journalists to embrace, own, and drive the Community of Practice to achieve its aim of providing a common professional platform for all investigative journalists in Ghana.
Delivering brief remarks, the Component Manager of the PAIReD Programme, Kweku Lartey Obeng, commended the MFWA for spearheading efforts to strengthen accountability journalism and pledged continued support for initiatives that promote transparency, freedom of expression, and responsible media practice. “We firmly believe in a free, vibrant, and empowered media. A strong media is not just a luxury for democracy—it is the lifeline of democracy,” he added.
Participants at the convening discussed and co-created a draft Framework on the establishment of the CoP. Amongst others, the draft framework covers areas such as eligibility and membership, peer learning and knowledge exchange, professional development, capacity building programmes as well as community engagement and collaborative investigation support.
The MFWA through Ms. Rosemond Aryeetey reaffirmed its commitment to empowering journalists and fostering collaboration that enhances the impact and sustainability of investigative journalism in Ghana. The Foundation also encouraged members of the CoP to remain dedicated to promoting integrity, professionalism, and the watchdog role of the media in Ghana’s democratic development.
