Newly elected National Executives of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), have been sworn into office albeit a court restraining order filed by a member of the Association against the President, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour.
The swearing was done today by a Justice of the Court of Appeal, Justice George Koomson who administered the oath of office to the six new executives, namely, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour; President, Linda Asante-Agyei; Vice President, Kofi Yeboah; General Secretary, Dominic Hlordzi; Organising Secretary, Rebecca Ekpe; Public Affairs Officer and Audrey Dekalu, Treasurer.
In his inaugural address the new President said his administration will work to uplift the image of the GJA.
“I wish to declare that today marks the dawn of a new era in the life of the GJA” he said, adding that his administration will work to improve salaries and review the welfare scheme for journalists.
He appealed to members of the Association to take a keen interest in the process to review the GJA constitution.
The ceremony was held at the Conference Centre in Accra.
It would be recalled that a day before the swearing in ceremony, a member of the Association, Justice Lee Adoboe placed an injunction on the swearing in of the newly-elected GJA President.
The suit was served on the officials of the GJA on Wednesday, June 29, a day before the swearing-in.
In the suit filed, the plaintiff averred that the bribery allegation levelled against Mr Dwumfour should have been investigated by the Election Committee, according to the constitution of the association before the elections were held.
He wanted the court to declare the election of Albert Dwumfour as GJA President null and void, praying the court to issue an order for the conduct of fresh elections.
He argued that Albert Dwumfour together with the CEO of Tobinco Pharmaceuticals, Samuel Amoh Tobin prior to the conduct of the elections, organized a buffet for GJA members in the Western Region at Atlantic Hotel in Takoradi.
The plaintiff stressed that Albert Dwumfour also gave all members present an amount of ₵500 as an “inducement for the members to vote for Albert Dwumfour”.
The plaintiff also claimed that the CEO of Tobinco Pharmaceuticals promised the members other favours and incentives if they vote for Albert Dwumfour.
Mr. Adoboe stated that the alleged conduct by Albert Dwumfour is in contravention of Article 52(b) of the GJA constitution.
He noted that despite a petition by the GJA Western Regional Chairman, Moses Dotsey Koblah Aklorbortu to the Election Committee for the alleged conduct to be investigated, the Committee went ahead to hold the elections and declared Albert Dwumfour winner.
The suit also said that the plaintiff went ahead to petition the Election Dispute Adjudication Committee against the alleged conduct of the newly elected GJA President.
The plaintiff requested for the swearing-in to be halted pending investigations into the alleged breach of the GJA constitution.
However, the Election Dispute Adjudication Committee did not heed the plea of the plaintiff and conducted the swearing-in ceremony.
By Vincent Kubi