National Chairman of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has challenged journalists to go beyond reporting the commissioning of government projects and consistently track their implementation, cost and impact.

He said the media had a responsibility to create a credible record of government development commitments that would allow citizens to assess what was promised, what was delivered and whether public investments provided value for money.

Mr Asiedu Nketia made the call at the fourth Bono Regional Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Awards in Sunyani on September 19, 2026, held under the theme, “Ethics, Integrity and Impactful Journalism – Essential Ingredients for Societal Transformation.”

“There are billions of cedis of public investments underway in Bono today. I would encourage journalists in this region to keep the records,” he said.

He urged journalists to establish the cost and terms of contracts, identify the contractors responsible and take note of project completion deadlines before returning to the sites to assess progress.

“When the date arrives, go back. Find out whether the work was completed and whether the public received what it paid for,” he said.

According to him, journalists should report successful projects so the public is informed about results, while also investigating delays, challenges and responsibility where projects fail to meet expectations.

Mr Asiedu Nketia said such documentation would help preserve an independent media record of major development commitments in the region.

“Five years from now, it should be possible for somebody to go into the archives of the media in Bono and reconstruct what happened to the major development commitments being made today,” he said.

He also said the Mahama administration should expect scrutiny from journalists and the wider public over its policies, expenditure and development promises.

“This government should expect scrutiny. Ministers should answer legitimate questions. Public expenditure should be examined. The promises we made to Ghanaians should be checked against what we deliver,” he said.

He stressed that scrutiny should be treated as part of democratic governance rather than as an attack on government, while urging journalists to base their reporting on verified facts regardless of which political party benefits from the coverage.

“Journalism serves the citizen best when the facts are established properly and reported without regard to which political party finds them convenient,” he said.

The NDC chairman further urged politicians and public officials to provide journalists with information needed for accurate reporting and to avoid interpreting difficult questions as hostility.

“Sometimes the person asking the uncomfortable question is telling you something that the people around you are no longer willing to say,” he said.

He also called for improved working conditions and greater institutional support for journalists, arguing that media organisations need adequate resources to retain experienced professionals, conduct investigations and maintain strong regional newsrooms.

Mr Asiedu Nketia said better working conditions would also help journalists build sustainable careers without becoming financially dependent on politicians, businesses or institutions they are expected to scrutinise.

“If we want high professional standards, the sustainability of serious journalism deserves attention as well,” he said.

The awards brought together journalists, public officials, traditional leaders and other stakeholders to recognise outstanding journalism in the Bono Region.