GJA inaugurates Committee for awards

The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has inaugurated a ten-member committee to handle the selection of deserving journalists for the various categories for the 21st Awards Ceremony of the Association.

The members are Mr Kwasi Kpodo, Mr Francis Kokutse, Madam Roberta Gardina, Ms Rosemary Ardayfio, Mr Kwaku Botwe, Madam Monica Bleboo, Mr Zakaria Tanko Musah, Mr Kwaku Sesah-Johnson, Mr Kofi Akordor and Mr James McCauley.

Mr Affail Monney, the GJA President, who inaugurated the Committee, said the Association regarded the awards as special, as it represented the pinnacle of a journalist’s achievements.

He said the awards ceremony, which is a flagship event, would be used to acknowledge individuals, media houses and organisations that had in some way contributed significantly to the development of the Ghanaian media.

Giving an overview of the awards competition, Mr Monney said there would be five categories and journalists may submit entries for a maximum of only two categories, and not more than two published works for any category.

This year’s awards event is on the theme: “Media for Undisputed and Peaceful 2016 Election – The Support of Civil Society” and is slated for August 27.

Mr Monney said Category One included separate awards for radio, television and print for News Reporting, Sports, Education and Features.

Category Two would be for both print and electronic, and would cover areas such as Investigative Reporting, Photojournalism, Crime and Court Reporting, Anti-Corruption, the Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu Award for Business and Finance and Economic Reporting, Oil and Gas, and Rural Reporting.

“The Third Category, which goes to the print media is for Columnists and Best Cartoonists whereas the Fourth Category for media houses only covers Democracy and Peace Building, Best Layout and Designed Newspaper and Best Rural Radio Station, Best TV Programmes in Akan, Dagbani, Ewe, Ga, Hausa and Nzema,” he said.

Mr Monney said the Fifth Category is the GJA/Komla Dumor most promising young journalist and the GJA/Prof P. A. V. Ansah Journalist of the Year, for which GJA members and the public were invited to nominate candidates giving reasons for their nominations in not more than 120 words.

Mr Monney advised journalists to project stories that would promote the interest of citizens and not sensational ones.

“This year is an election year and so much is expected of the media, so I urge colleague journalists to put in their best, as it is expected that the deficit of issues, and insults will be reversed,” he said.

Source: GNA