GJA awards nominees list out

Accra, Aug 13, GNA - The Ghana Journalist Association (GJA), has on Thursday named 30 nominees for awards for this year's Ghana Journalists Awards.

The winners would be announced at the 14th GJA Awards Night on Saturday August 15, 2009.

The nominees included 18 in the competitive categories, four honorary awards and six awards for institutions. The list include Anas Aremyaw Anas of the New Crusading Guide, Lauretta Vanderpuye and Peggy Ama Donkor, both of Ghana Television (GTV), Kofi

Yeboah, Charles Benoni Okine, Samuel Kyei Boateng and Kofi Akordor, all of the Daily Graphic, Maurice Quansah and Rosalind Amoh of Graphic Sports,

Kingley Hope, Ghanaian Times, Theophilous Yartey, Business and Financial Times. Others are Edmund Smith Asante, the Ghanaian Observer and Dominic Hlorjeh, Joseph Kobla, Victor Kwawukume from other media houses. Nominees for honorary awards were Mr. Gilbert Ayittey, formerly of Ghana News Agency, Mr. Cameron Doudo, former Editor of the Daily Graphic and veteran feature writer, Frazier Ofori Atta, former executive of the GJA and Mr. Kwatei Sham Simpson, formerly of GTV. Public Agenda, Obonu FM, Daily Guide, Joy FM, Radio Peace, Diamond FM and Radio Progress were also nominated for special awards.

Reverend Dr. Goodwin Tutum Anim, Chairman of the awards committee, told journalists that there were 225 entries, comprising 139 journalists from the print

media, 44 from the radio and 42 from the television. He said entries were judged based on their impact, relevance, accuracy and balance, adding that for each category the entries were streamlined to a maximum of

five and then they were pegged against each other. Rev. Anim noted that the Committee realised from the entries that there was the need for the quality of journalism to improve in the country. He recommended that a standing committee should be established to sample a larger number of journalistic works from time to time to advise the GJA on how

to help improve journalism. "In line with that we have prepared another comprehensive report on the training, structural and ethical problems facing the profession - copies of that report

would be given to all media house to serve as guide for training," Rev. Anim said. The committee also recommended that in subsequent awards, there should be two nominees for journalists of the year, who would be interviewed before one is

selected. Rev. Anim also said it was necessary for GJA to rethink the pairing for categories, saying that Water and Sanitation, for instance was separated into "Water" and

then Environment and Sanitation. "We recommend a similarly decoupling of Health from Road Safety," he said. He assured the public that, unlike last year, this year, there would be a journalist of the year. Other activities slated for the 14th GJA Awards night are the inauguration of new GJA executives, performances by Ghana's leading acappella group, the

Alabaster Box and veteran highlife musician, Gyedu Blay Ambuley. Vice President John Dramani Mahama, would be the guest of honour.