Mr. Asum Kwarteng (right) handing over the cheque to Mrs. Audrey Dakalu, GJA Treasurer, while members of the GJA executives look on
The Ghana Shippers Authority and Plan International Ghana have presented an amount of GH¢5000 and GH¢15000 respectively to the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA).
The presentation was towards the organization of the 23rd GJA Awards themed, “State of Investigative Journalism, Boundaries of Privacy and Borders of Public Interest.”
The GJAs flagship event is scheduled to take place on October 27 at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra, with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as the Special Guest of Honour.
Making the presentation, Public Relations Officer of Ghana Shippers Authority, Kojo Frimpong, said the Authority has a long standing relationship with the GJA in training journalists on issues in the maritime industry.
He disclosed: “For the past six to seven years, we have been collaborating with GJA to organize seminars for journalists to highlight issues in the maritime industry”.
Mr. Frimpong said the Shippers Authority believes the work of journalists was important for national development hence their willingness to support the GJA recognize hard-working journalists.
“We thank the GJA who always give us the opportunity to be part of them. This year, Ghana Shippers Authority has gone a little further in not just giving you information and education but we also want to support the strengthening of the organization and we want to be part of the awards system because we believe that hard work needs to be rewarded,” he added.
In his remarks before presenting the check, the acting Country Director Plan International Ghana, Mr. Asum Kwarteng, observed that issues of children particularly girls were important in the quest of the country to experience total development.
GJA President, Mr. Affail Monney, said the awards launched last week would be unprecedented with regard to the awards packages.
“We are going to honour journalists who have excelled in the year 2017. The package is juicy; we have upgraded the awards. It used to be laptops then we upgraded to TV sets and cars and now we have moved to house,” he stated.
Touching on the need for corporate organization to support the GJA, Mr. Monney said the association was financially disabled and thus needed the support of corporate organizations to help better the lives of journalists.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri