Media General’s Upper West Region correspondent, Ibrahim Abubakari Wangara, has won two awards at the maiden Upper West Region Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) awards night.
The young, determined journalist who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to professionalism in his journalism career, won the awards due to his adherence to journalistic standards in all his reports.
He received the accolade of “Excellence in Rural Reporting of the year 2023” through his compelling story titled “Ejected alleged witch cries for help” and also Best Journalist in Tourism award with his “Spotlight on Wechiau community Hippo Sanctuary” story at the ceremony held on Saturday, September 7, 2024, at the Dellagio Hotel in Wa, Upper West Region.
In his keynote address, Professor of Social Communications, Department of Communication at the Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (SDD-UBIDS), Prof. Africanus Lewil Diedong, said the media with time, has garnered a greater role in determining political agenda, setting issues of public interest, obligating political parties and candidates to follow those agenda, and in some cases, against their own interests.
“Therefore, from this viewpoint, the media has in practice developed to be a great power within any electoral process.”
Prof. Africanus added that “As regards Peace Journalism, I would like to associate myself with what Pope Paul VI said: ‘If you want peace, work for justice,’ A journalist answers to an even stronger value, truth. These three values – peace, justice and truth are intimately linked, but we all know that telling the truth does not always produce peace in the short-term. But stay the cause particularly in the lead up to the general elections when some political elites and their associates – business tycoons would overtly or covertly influence you to cave in or cower. Be fearless and act with integrity in the pursuit of peace journalism. Let me point out that peace without justice, peace without truth, will never last.”
President of the Ghana Journalists Association, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour in a speech read on his behalf by the Organizing Secretary of the Association, Dominic Hlordzi, while acknowledging the challenging circumstances journalists often go through to serve the public, cautioned that “as election 2024 inches closer, it is important to avert our minds to the fact that the contribution of the media in shaping Ghana’s democracy through peaceful and fair elections cannot be overemphasized.”
He said any institution or Association that does not honor or recognize its members is not worth dying for “and so we are here to celebrate our colleagues who distinguished themselves during the period that the entries cover.”
Other awardees in the maiden GJA awards are; Lydia Darlington Fordjour was awarded excellence in Education Reporting, and Human Rights. Philip Tengzu of GNA went home with excellence in Agriculture, and Climate,
Bajin D. Pobia, a veteran journalist who retired from Ghana News Agency (GNA) alongside Ivan Domasaa, former Programs Coordinator at Radio Progress, a community- based Radio in Wa, were both given honorary awards with Rafiq Salam of Joy News ceiling it up as best health reporter and overall Best Journalist of the Year in the region.
The Upper West Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Sualah Abdul-Wahab, through his Vice chairman, Seidu Bomanjo asked for improvement in the registration process of potential members as that would pave way for more qualified journalists in the region to join the Association.
Read also:
Streetlight campaign: Unlit highway puts SD Dombo University students at risk
Story By Ibrahim A. Wangara|3news.com|Ghana
The post Media General’s Ibrahim Wangara bags two awards at maiden Upper West GJA Awards first appeared on 3News.
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