Multiple award-winning journalist Samuel Kyei-Boateng
Multiple award-winning journalist Samuel Kyei-Boateng has protested against what he calls “the raw deal” given him by the 2020 Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) media awards committee by depriving him of his “well-deserved award” on News Reporting (Print).
Mr Kyei-Boateng says his painstaking and well-researched story, headlined “Man claims cure for blindness”, published on the front page of Daily Graphic on December 6, 2019, tied with another story written by Seth Bokpe, formerly of Daily Graphic, as the two best reports for the News Reporting (Print) awards.
Petition to GJA
He said instead of giving separate awards to the two journalists, members of the Madam Betty Apau Oppong GJA media awards committee voted to break the tie, thereby eventually giving the award to Seth Bokpe at his expense.
“This system of selecting the best journalists through voting by the awards committee is unheard of in the history of the GJA media awards scheme; it is only in football matches that the penalty rule is applied to declare a winner in case of a draw by two clubs in a final match,” he protested in a strongly-worded petition to the national executive of the GJA.
Mr Kyei-Boateng recalled an incident three years ago when the stories of Mr Emmanuel Adu Gyamerah and Nana Konadu Agyeman (both of Daily Graphic) tied for Education Reporting award. He said the two journalists were given separate awards, adding that each of them was presented with a certificate, a plague and cash as their awards.
“Besides, two years ago when a journalist of Daily Graphic and another reporter from the electronic media tied for the ‘anti galamsey’ award, both of them were given separate awards,” he added.
Mr Kyei-Boateng challenged the GJA media awards committee to give the two stories from him and Seth Bokpe to independent committee members to make their own choices, expressing the hope that his story would stand tall.
Minister’s visit
He said recently the Central Regional Minister, Kwamena Duncan, led a high powered delegation, including the Central Regional Health Director, Dr Akosua Agyeiwaa Owusu-Sarpong, to visit the Odopee Herbal and Healing Centre and commended the proprietor of the facility, John Kofi Sackey, for his positive contribution to the health care delivery in the country.
According to Mr Duncan, he was attracted to the facility due to the restoration of the sight of a top military officer who was visually impaired and who regained his sight after receiving treatment from the Odopee herbal centre.
Mr Kyei- Boateng claimed that even though he did not know the story presented by Seth Bokpe that won him the award, he can challenge the award committee that his story was better than Seth Bokpe’s story, stressing that his story could even compete for the “Journalist of the Year” award.
He expressed hope that the “GJA executive would rectify the anomaly and set the records straight by giving me my well-deserved award as it is not too late to do so.”
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