The National Chairman of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has called for improved working conditions and greater institutional support for journalists.He said such intentional support will enable journalists to perform their watchdog role effectively.Speaking at the 4th Bono Regional Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Awards in Sunyani, Mr Asiedu Nketiah said, “We should equally be concerned about the conditions under which journalists work.”He said media organisations must have the resources to employ and retain competent professionals, investigate stories and maintain strong regional newsrooms.Mr Asiedu Nketiah said regional journalism was particularly important because issues affecting communities outside Accra often receive less attention in the national conversation.He said journalists should be able to build respectable careers without becoming financially dependent on politicians, businesses and institutions they are expected to cover.“If we want high professional standards, the sustainability of serious journalism deserves attention as well,” he added.Mr Asiedu Nketiah also urged journalists in the Bono Region to closely monitor public projects and spending, stressing that journalism must leave behind an accurate record of development.“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, contractor, timelines, and terms of major projects and return to assess whether they had been completed and whether citizens received value for money.“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.“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 also urged politicians to provide journalists with the information required for accurate reporting and to avoid treating difficult questions as hostility if accurate reportage is required of journalists.Congratulating award winners, Mr Asiedu Nketiah urged them to protect their professional reputations, saying credibility is built over time through accurate and independent journalism.The awards event was on the theme, “Ethics, Integrity, and Impactful Journalism, Essential Ingredients for Societal Transformation”,Speaking as the guest speaker, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), Prof. Elvis Asare-Bediako, called on journalists to uphold the theme to transform society.He said journalism is a form of leadership that could influence public thought, shape civic behaviour and inspire collective action.“It is leadership exercised not through political office or corporate authority, but through the power of words, the courage of truth, and the responsibility of influence,” he said.He urged journalists to verify facts and sources before publication, warning that misinformation could undermine public trust.“In a world where misinformation spreads faster than truth, accuracy is the bedrock of trust, and trust is the foundation of transformation,” Prof Asare-Bediako stated.He further encouraged journalists to resist sensationalism and prioritise public interest, fairness and balance.Prof Asare-Bediako also called for stronger collaboration between academia and the media, noting that research provides evidence while journalism amplifies it to inform public discourse.He congratulated journalists for their contribution to the profession and urged them to remain “guardians of truth” and nation builders.Winners on the night were awarded for their hard work, including Joy News correspondent for the Bono Region, Precious Semevoh, adjudged as the Best Journalist in Climate Change and Green Transition Reporting.The overall Bono Regional Best Journalist of the Year 2025 award went to Lawrence Yeboah Gyan of Wisdom FM for his work in children’s advocacy, health and medical care.