GJA opens nominations for national elections

Accra, Jan. 19, GNA - The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) on Thursday fixed March 9, 2006 for its elections to elect officers for the National Executive positions.

Nominations for the various positions: President; Vice President; General Secretary; Organising Secretary; Treasurer; Public Affairs Officer and Corporate-Member Representative opens from Wednesday January 25 to Wednesday, February 8, 2006.

A statement signed by the Chairman of the GJA Elections Committee, Mr Ben Assorow explained that in accordance with Article 47 of the GJA Constitution on General Election Requirements; only members in good standing shall have the right to vote.

Affiliate, student and honorary members are not qualified to vote or contest any National Executive position.

The statement said the voters' register (list of members in good standing) would be published in the Daily Graphic and Chronicle between Monday January 23 and Saturday, January 28 as well as displayed at the various local and regional branches.

In accordance with Article 47, candidates vying for National Executive positions shall be full members of the Association for at least five years and must be in good standing at least 90 days before the elections.

Two members in good standing, both of whom shall not come from the same media organisation, shall endorse the nomination papers of a candidate.

The statement said any member with a criminal record involving fraud, stealing or dishonesty, is disqualified from contesting for any elected position in the Association.

Nominations fees for the various positions are: President, 500,000 cedis; Vice President and General Secretary; 400,000 cedis each; Organising Secretary, Treasurer, Public Affairs Officer and Corporate Member Representative 300,000 cedis each.

The Elections Committee also announced the formation of a GJA Elections Adjudication Committee, with Mr Kwesi Cabbe-Addae, a Lawyer and journalists as Chairman; Mrs Bernadette Chinery-Hesse also a Lawyer and Journalists and Mr Albert Kofi Arhin, Director of Elections of the Electoral Commission, are the members.

Mr Mawusi Afele, News Editor of Ghana News Agency, and Mrs Betty Apau-Opong of Ghana Broadcasting Corporation are the other members of the Elections Committee.