Matters discussed included among others the de-politicisation of the media, expediting the Journalists’ Pension Scheme, expanding electronic media services to cover the entire country, increasing the number of journalist training programmes and workshops, providing journalists with concessionary bank loans to purchase necessary equipment etc.

The President called upon the media to develop a more ethical and positive media culture. In this connection he stressed the necessity of the state media organizations to coordinate their activities better. He also requested them to report on development work undertaken by the government so that people could be aware of them. Development and communication should go hand in hand, he stressed while commenting that attention devoted to development of media and communication strategies is inadequate.

The President also referred to the campaign of disinformation against the country in the international media and called for counter measures with the assistance of foreign journalists.