Accra — THE International Institute of ICT Journalism, Penplusbytes, in partnership with Revenue Watch institute – Natural Resource Charter (RWI-NRC) is organising a refresher course for more than 30 journalists that successfully completed exercises on energy reporting.

The refresher workshop and mentoring roundtable is aimed at bringing together past trainee journalists who have benefited from this initiative to engage with Stakeholders in the Oil and Gas sector on topical issues and developments within the sector.

According to Kwami Ahiabenu II, President of Penplusbytes, “The key objective of this event is to sustain the interest of Ghanaian journalists in covering the extractive sectors, update journalists’ knowledge of current and emerging governance issues in the sector and to provide a platform for journalists to seek the advice of mentors and exchange ideas.”

Dr Joe Asamoah, an eminent expert in the oil and gas sector and energy economist will deliver the key note address alongside such presenters as Dr George Lugalambi, the Media Programme Officer of RWI-NRC, Dr Mohammed Amin, Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) and Dr Arne Disch, Managing Partner Scanteam, Norwegian independent advisory group with extensive field-experience from 100 countries.

Penplusbytes working with other partners in Uganda and Tanzania have since 2010 trained nearly a hundred journalists on skills and knowledge needed to effectively report on the extractive sector in Ghana, Uganda and Tanzania.

This has resulted not only in an increased reportage of oil and gas stories but also, and more importantly, an improvement in the depth, content, scope and impact of oil and gas stories in the media landscape in the 3 selected countries.