The Northern Regional Correspondent of the Daily Guide Newspaper, the leading private newspaper in Ghana, Eric Kombat, has won the Northern Region Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Best Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Reporter 2022 for Savannah, North East and Northern Regions.
Eric Kombat’s story which highlighted the lack of potable water at the Nakpanduri Business Senior High School which resulted in the provision of a water system with poly tanks to the school by a philanthropist won him the award.
This year’s GJA awards was on the theme :”Promoting Responsible Behavior to Protect the Environment: The Role of the Media”.
Mohammed Fugu, Graphic Communications Limited, was adjudged as the Northern Region Journalist of the Year 2022.
Other winners are Christopher Amoako(TV3) – Best Journalist in Education and Best Journalist in Reporting on SDGs, Rose Mary(Ghana News Agency) – Best Mental Health Reporter, Yakubu Wahab Yumzaa – Best Reporter in Disability, Prince Kwame Tamakloe – Best Agric Reporter, Mohammed Fugu – Best Journalist in Tourism Mohammed Fugu – Best Environmental Journalist, Comfort Sena – Best Journalist in Road and Safety Reporting
Mohammed Amin Alabira – Best Journalist in Peace Reporting, Prince Halid Mukadi – Best Sports Journalist and Baba Kamil – Best Health Reporter of the Year.
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) National President, Albert Dwumfour, at the award ceremony,condemned the invasion of UTV by some NPP supporters.
“Based on our investigations, it appears that certain UTV personnel were also targeted and assaulted during the incursion. Almost a week has passed with no one having been processed for court. We anticipate that the Ghana Police Service will take prompt action in order to restore order to our media environment. We are watching and closely monitoring events as we put our legal team on standby”.
He again condemned the assault on Akosua Otchere, Citi FM /Citi TV journalist at the NDC Regional Office in Greater Accra.
“An innocent journalist has been attacked by supporters of the largest opposition party less than a week after a media house was stormed by activists affiliated with the governing party. This development is abhorrent. This barbaric behavior cannot continue, and we also expect the police to act swiftly in response. For the records, the Citi FM/TV crew went to the NDC office to perform a public interest duty and they were properly and professionally dressed for easy identification and unfortunately got attacked in the line of duty. I must emphasise that journalism is not a crime and journalism can never be a crime”.
He cautioned politicians who have become experts at undermining and attacking journalists to cease doing so, as the GJA will make every effort to confront them.
“The GJA will go at every length under the law to deal with political actors who may attack journalists as we gear up for the 2024 elections”.
The Northern Region GJA President, Yakubu Abdul Majeed, indicated that regional executives has not relented in their quest to make the GJA vibrant and a highly spirited Association in the three regions adding that the overall aim is to ensure development and freedom from poverty for the people.
“We, therefore, are championing and liaising with reputable organisations in running refresher training programmes and workshops for our journalists as a way of helping to promote quality journalism within our jurisdiction”.
According to him, the ideal and appropriate means to propel and accelerate the development of the regions in particular, and the country as a whole, is to strengthen journalists to play their watchdog roles effectively.
“It is about time we pushed for the strengthening of journalists and media practitioners in general to be bold in holding officialdom more accountable and more responsible. Ghana will be paradise if journalists live up to their responsibilities. Frankly, the whole society will seat up because nobody will want to be named and shamed. I, therefore, advocate and call for financial independence for the media. This will make the media operate independently and effectively”.