Affail Monney
Incumbent President of the Ghana Journalists’ Association (GJA), Roland Affail Monney, retained his position after close of polls yesterday, in one of the most hotly contested polls, making mincemeat of his challengers.
Mr Affail Monney had 310 votes; Edwin Llyod Evans secured 147 votes while Jonny Aryeetey polled 44 votes.
For the vice president position, Linda Asante-Adjei of Ghana News Agency (GNA) garnered 209 votes followed by Tina Aforo-Yeboah, editor of Spectator who had 111 votes. Francis Kokutse had 93 votes and Mathew McKwame, 92.
The race for Public Affairs was between Nii Adjei Klu of Obonu Fm who had 216 votes and the incumbent, Mary Mensah, retained the position with 287 votes.
The organizing secretary went to new entrant, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, who polled 312 votes, with veteran Vans Azu of Graphic trailing behind him with 186 votes.
The general secretary position went to multiple award winner, Edmund Kofi Yeboah, who had 251 votes to beat the incumbent, David Agbenu, by just a vote.
Audrey Dekalu from the GNA was the only candidate who went into the elections unopposed.
Results
The Greater Accra Region was the deciding factor in the exercise as majority of the voters are stationed in Accra.
Six polling stations were set up at the Ghana International Press Centre, Graphic Communications Group Limited, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Ghana News Agency (GNA), New Times Corporation and Obonu FM in Tema.
At the Press Centre, Mr Affail Monney had 96 votes, Lloyd Evans 43 votes and Jonny Aryeetey, 9 votes. For the vice president position, Linda Asante-Adjei had 60 votes, Tina Aforo-Yeboah 27, Francis Kokutse 39 and Mathew Mac-Kwame 22.
The public relations position had Nii Adjei Klu garnering 66 votes as against Mary Mensah’s 83.
Organizing secretary: Vance Azu, 63 votes and Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, 84.
In respect of the general secretary position, Kofi Yeboah polled 69 votes as against the incumbent, David Agbenu’s 79 votes.
In Tema, Affail Monney had 17, Lloyd Evans 9, Jonny Aryeetey 6; Linda Asante-Adjei had 14 votes, Mrs. Tina Aforo-Yeboah 8, Francis Kokutse 6 and Mathew Mac-Kwame 4.
The public relations position had Nii Adjei Klu coming out with 27 votes as against Mary Mensah’s 5 and the  organizing secretary, Mr. Vance Azu 11 votes and Albert Kwabena Dwumfour 20.
For the general secretary position, Mr. Kofi Yeboah won by 69 votes as against the incumbent, David Agbenu’s 79.
Results from the Graphic Communications showed that Affail Monney had 12, Lloyd Evans had 34 and Jonny Aryeetey 2.
For the vice president position, Linda Asante-Adjei had 6 votes and Tina Aforo-Yeboah 28. The public affairs position had Nii Adjei Klu getting 8 votes as against Mary Mensah’s 40.
With the organizing secretary, Vance Azu polled 16 votes while Albert Kwabena Dwumfour obtained 32 votes.
For the general secretary slot, Kofi Yeboah had 32 votes and David Agbenu 16.
In the Eastern Region, Affail Monney had 38, Lloyd Evans had 8 and Jonny Aryeetey 0. Vice president slot: Linda Asante-Adjei had 23, Tina Aforo-Yeboah 6, Francis Kokutse 5 and Mathew Mac-Kwame 13 votes.
The public affairs: Nii Adjei Klu 24 and Mary Mensah 21. Organizing secretary: Vance Azu, 9 and Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, 38.
For the general secretary position, Kofi Yeboah garnered 16 votes as against David Agbenu’s 31.
Initial Delay
Following an earlier disqualification of some candidates, including Lloyd Evans and Mac-Kwame, in March 2017, the Elections Dispute Adjudication Committee (EDAC) of the GJA was petitioned but because of the short period for the hearing of their petitions, the elections were postponed indefinitely at the request of the EDAC.
After hearing the petitions, the EDAC said, “Candidates who were disqualified from contesting the elections on the basis other than (i) not being members or (ii) whose membership was below three years should be given the opportunity to contest the elections.”
Missing Names
One of the candidates for the presidency, John Aryeetey of GTV, was turned away from voting because his name could not be found on the list.
On a list that is signed by the Chairman of the GJA Election Committee, Mr. Aryeetey’s name was number 138 but when he went to the polling station to vote, he found out that his name had been replaced by that of former President John Dramani Mahama, who is a member of the GJA
Ben Assorow, chairman of the GJA Election Committee, told Joy News that the list he signed had the name of Johny Aryeetey, so he did not understand why his name had been taken out of the final list.
“We have gone to the EC to make sure that Johny Aryeetey votes because they (the EC) are running the elections. The EC has endorsed it and has allowed him to vote. He cannot be a candidate and not be eligible to vote,” Mr. Assorow said.
He said the GJA Election Committee would take the ultimate responsibility for what had happened but the GJA’s secretariat would have to explain why the list was tampered with.
The candidates expressed satisfaction at the turnout which they indicated was a great step in the deepening of democracy in the  association.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri