30th GJA Awards: Atinka TV’s ‘missing persons’ takes home Best TV Programme in Ghanaian language

Popular Accra-based TV station Atinka TV has won “Best TV Programme (Ghanaian Language)” at the 30th edition of the Ghana Journalism Awards.[GJA]

Atinka TV won the award with its programme, “Missing Persons, Reuniting Families.” The award was received on behalf of the station by Nana Adwoa Annan, MD of Bullet TV.

The winners were announced on Saturday night at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel’s Palms Convention Centre in Accra, with President John Dramani Mahama as the keynote speaker and the Ga Mantse, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, as the chairman.

O.B., the host of Ekosiisen—Asempa FM’s afternoon current affairs show—also won “Best Radio Programme in a Ghanaian Language” on the night.

The 30th edition, which was held under the theme “Celebrating Excellence, Advancing Media Freedom and Combating Hate Speech in the Digital Age”, covered work published in 2025.

The committee, chaired by Kobby Asmah, assessed 327 entries from 206 applicants and settled on 36 citations.

The Daily Graphic’s Timothy Ngnenbe was the most decorated journalist of the night, taking home three awards. EIB Network’s Redwan Karim Dini Osman and A1 Radio’s Moses Apiah won two awards each.

Below is the full list of winners

Best in Print News: Mohammed Fugu, Daily Graphic

Best in Television News: Nabil Ahmed Rufai, freelance, for “Stolen Childhood”, on child labour in Ghana’s fishing industry

Best in Radio News: Redwan Karim Dini Osman, EIB Network, for a story on how the US aid freeze put HIV care at risk

Best in Online News: Timothy Ngnenbe, Daily Graphic, for “Unguarded Guards”, on the ordeal of Ghana’s forest guards

Best in Print Features: Benedicta Gyimaah Folley, Ghanaian Times, for a feature on how collaboration is saving mothers in childbirth

Best in Television Features: Daniel Mantey, Pent TV

Best in Radio Features: Clinton Yeboah, Luv FM, for a feature on women living with obstetric fistula

Best in Online Features: Gilbert Azeem Tiroog, Ghana News Agency, for “Dreams Buried by Bullets”, on children caught up in recurring conflict

Best in Television Documentary: Godwin Asediba, for “Hooked on Red” on TV3 (he has since joined the BBC)

Best in Radio Documentary: Doreen Ampofo, GBC, for “Modern-day Slavery: Voices from the Gulf”

Best in Online Documentary: Nii Adjei Mensahfio, freelance, for a documentary on poaching and bush burning in Mole National Park

Best Columnist (Print): Juliet Etefe, Business and Financial Times

Best Columnist (Online): Samuel Dowuona, TechFocus24, for “MTN’s confusing 5G stance and what it means.”

Sports: Nathaniel Attoh, Joy FM, The Multimedia Group. Wembley Sports Complex added a GH¢50,000 cash prize.

Education: Stanley Nii Blewu, 3News, Media General

Investigative: Francisca Enchill, JoyNews

Photojournalism: Prince Kukorku, GBC

Arts and Entertainment: James Amoh Jr, Ghana News Agency

Business: Redwan Karim Dini Osman, EIB Network

Environment and Science: Timothy Ngnenbe, Daily Graphic

Health: Moses Apiah, A1 Radio

Akoto Ampaw Award for Democracy and Good Governance: Albert Futukpor, Ghana News Agency

Gender: Dzifa Tetteh Tay, freelance

Crime and Court: Kweku Bolton, GBC

Special campaign awards

Disability: Nicholas Azebire, Dreamz FM

Domestic Tourism: Emmanuel Adu Gyamfi, Asempadawuro

Road Safety: Christian Yalley, TV3, Media General

Illegal Mining: Timothy Ngnenbe, Daily Graphic

Bank of Ghana Governor’s Economic and Financial Story of the Year: Esther Aidoo, GBC. The prize includes a laptop, a router and a year’s free data from the Bank of Ghana.

The central bank’s Governor, Dr Johnson Pandit Asiama, introduced the new financial journalism award at the ceremony.

Programmes and platforms

Best TV Programme (Ghanaian language): Missing Persons, Reuniting Families, Atinka TV

Best Radio Programme (Ghanaian language): Ekosiisen, Asempa FM

Best Radio/TV Programme (English): Behind the News, Radio Ghana

Best Digital and New Media Platform: GH-Hyper

Top individual honours

Best Student Journalist: Jennifer Frimpong-Wiredu, UniMAC-IJ, for “Etymology of Trotro”, broadcast on GBC’s Akan News

GJA/Komla Dumor Most Promising Journalist: Moses Apiah, A1 Radio

GJA/PAV Ansah Journalist of the Year: Philip Osei Bonsu (O.B.), Asempa FM

Honorary awards

The GJA also gave honorary awards to Inspector-General of Police Christian Tetteh Yohuno, Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin, Tobinco Group founder Nana Amo Tobbin I, and Special Group CEO and UniMAC Chancellor Dr Ernest Ofori Sarpong.