Dr. Richard Ampadu-Ameyaw
The Open Forum for Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB), Ghana Chapter, has opened nominations for the second edition of its annual media awards aimed at recognizing outstanding work of journalists in agriculture and biotechnology.
The OFAB 2018 awards ceremony, to be held in September this year in Burkina Faso, would recognize outstanding journalists from print, online, magazine, radio and television.
The awards include Biotechnology Blogger Award, Agricultural Biotechnology Impact Story Award, Agricultural Biotechnology Documentary Award and Agricultural Biotechnology Journalist of the year Award and Emerging Biotechnology Journalist Award.
Dr. Richard Ampadu-Ameyaw, OFAB National Coordinator, who is a senior scientist at CSIR – Science and Technology Policy Research Institute (STERI), said the award is meant to close the gap between scientists, policy-makers, journalists and the public.
“Applicants must present the entry in addition to a brief synopsis of the story submitted, a biography of not more than 150 words, a 200-word motivation for the story, digital passport-sized photograph, a copy of a national identification card and proof of belonging to a media organization,” he said.
Dr Daniel Osei Ofosu, Research Scientist at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), said the OFAB Award is to enable scientists tell their stories in a practical but simple way.
Professor Walter Alhassan, a former Director-General, CSIR, who chaired the OFAB stakeholders’ meeting and 2018 OFAB Media Awards launch, said the media has a critical role to play in creating the necessary awareness on new technology for the development of the agriculture sector.
“Researchers must constantly engage the media at various stages of technology development to ensure that they understand in order for the right information to be disseminated.”
Roland Affail-Money, the GJA President, lauded OFAB for organizing the awards for journalists in the area of scientific reporting, which he said would act as an incentive for specialization in agricultural reporting.
Mary Ama Kudom-Agyemang, Environmental Communicator and Journalist, and Joseph Opoku Gakpo, Multimedia Group Limited Journalist, were the only two journalists from Ghana, who were part of the 2017 OFAB award winners at a ceremony held in Kampala, Uganda. The deadline for submission of entries is June 30.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri