Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo on Tuesday commended the country's media for its role in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 77-year-old said this in his keynote address at the Africa Journalists Leadership Conference on Tuesday, noting that the media's contribution in the war against the virus was a show of how it can be a force for good.

He acknowledged that without the media, Ghana and Africa would have had a different story regarding the pandemic.

"Journalists did and continue to do a yeoman's job in the public education of the citizenry about COVID-19 and vaccination efforts across the continent," said Akufo-Addo. "Journalists, in this instance, were, and are partners, to governments across the continent, and, through this joint effort, have helped save the lives of hundreds of thousands, if not millions of African citizens. I pay homage to the efforts of journalists."

By Tuesday, Ghana had reported 94,011 COVID-19 infections with 785 deaths.

President Akufo-Addo urged journalists to extend their expertise on to other matters of continental and national significance, including the fight against terrorism and violent extremism, the fight against Climate Change and the fight against the illicit flow of funds from Africa.

"These are all menaces to the health, progress and stability of our nations and continent. We should stand shoulder to shoulder in ridding our continent and nations of them," he said.