Eighteen journalism students from the University of New York last Friday paid a visit to Public Agenda to familiarize themselves with the newspaperâ's operations.
The Editor of Public Agenda, Mr. Amos Safo took time to answer questions from the students.
They asked several questions ranging from how the newspaper is being funded, what distinguishes it from other newspapers as well as what its future plans are.
Mr. Amos Safo, after giving a brief background to the establishment of Public Agenda in 1994 as a right based newspaper, told the students about the trying circumstances under which the paper has managed to stay in production.
He said the paper came into being to fill the gap left between state-owned newspapers and extreme private newspapers that dwelt mainly on promoting or demoting the famous and powerful in society.
In so doing, he said, the voices and dire concerns of the ordinary people in the country have largely been relegated to the background.
Public Agenda was therefore set up by the Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC) to advocate and give a voice to the voiceless segments of society, while promoting general developmental issues.
"Normally, we have a soft spot for promoting issues of women and children," Mr. Safo said.
Asked what the paper is doing on the impending elections, the editor said the issues of education and water and sanitation are key areas the paper is highlighting to make them key to those seeking political office.
He referred the visiting students to a weekly section in the paper that tells the average electorate the sort of questions to ask those who seek their votes.
Other vulnerable groups the editor said the paper promotes are people affected by the activities of mining companies as well as persons with disabilities.
In an answer to how the paper hopes to see itself in the next ten years, the editor shook his head and said that but for the lack of resources Public Agenda should have been a daily newspaper by now, instead of being a bi-weekly, with the number of pages increased considerably.
The students wee lead on the tour by Prof. Frankie Edozien of the Journalism Department of the University.
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