
The GJA Media Awards Committee inaugurated to select Award winners

The Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) has called on journalists to support the efforts being made by the government to restore confidence in the Ghanaian economy through accurate reportage and public education on critical issues.
The President of the Association, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, who made the call during the 26th GJA Media Awards Launch in Accra yesterday, said the current economic situation requires the media to take on additional responsibility of helping various efforts to bring back confidence in the economy.
The ceremony also saw a seven-member GJA Media Awards Committee inaugurated to select Award winners. This year’s Award is dubbed “Walking The Path Towards Economic Recovery: The Role Of The Media”.
Mr Kwabena Dwumfour noted that the media’s role in influencing the economic narrative is even more important during “periods of heightened uncertainty when all kinds of news, including fake news, are rife on social media, even at times within mainstream media”.
“I believe the theme is apt due to the current economic challenges we are facing as a country. Indeed, there couldn’t have been any better theme. I hold the view that, as journalists, we have a role to play in ensuring that the economy is stabilised for our common good. We can do this in many ways,” he stated.
Watchdog role
To this end, Mr Kwabena Dwumfour admonished journalists to ensure that the government or any state institution does not spend outside their budget or engage in any frivolous expenditure, saying that would help the government achieve fiscal stability within the shortest time.
“Secondly, we should make sure that the findings and recommendations of the Auditor-General are duly implemented to protect the public purse. We are all aware of the current Auditor General’s Report, which has sent shock waves across the country,” he added.
In his view, if journalists manage to focus on the Auditor-General’s Report and ensure that the findings are fully implemented, Ghana will save millions of cedis every year.
He said such savings should be channeled into government flagship programmes like Free SHS, School Feeding Programme, among others. He also encouraged all citizens and businesses to pay their taxes to support national development.
GJA Awards
The GJA President explained that the Association did not organise last year’s Awards due to circumstances beyond its control.
“However, we started preparations very early this year, so we do not miss out this time around. The GJA Awards is a very important event on our calendar so we attach great importance to it. We started by setting up a seven-member GJA Media Awards Committee to review the current awards system and give it a facelift,” he said.
Mr Kwabena Dwumfour disclosed that one significant thing about this year’s Awards is the fact the ‘GJA Journalist of the Year’ is very competitive as the winner is going to be selected based on competitive entries.
“This is a departure from the practice whereby the Awards Committee selected a winner in consultation with the National Executive. We, therefore, urge all journalists who believe their works meet the criteria set out by the Awards Committee to file their entries. We assure them that the process will be fair and transparent,” said.
Additionally, he pointed out that the Association has introduced the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Award this year to place premium on African trade.
“To make the Awards more competitive and relevant, we have reduced the number of wards to 45. We have also started engagements with corporate Ghana to support the Awards scheme by offering deserving and more valuable prizes to would-be winners.
“This year’s awards promises to be great and exciting, and I can assure you that it will also be controversy-free. I trust this Awards committee, which is made up of men and women of integrity, to do a good job at the end of the day. We will hold this year’s GJA Media Awards on November 12, 2022, at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City, in Accra,” he announced.