The spotlight today will be on the Banquet Hall of the State House where the best in Ghanaian journalism will be celebrated.
Twenty-six journalists, a number of corporate institutions and individuals who have kept faith with the organisation of the annual awards or contributed to the growth of the profession would also be rewarded.
Journalists from the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) are expected to pick at least eight awards.
Award winners
Those nominated from the GCGL to receive awards today are Doreen Hammond, Mabel Aku Baneseh, Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Nana Konadu Agyeman, Seth J. Bokpe, Gabriel Ahiabor, Della Russel Ocloo, and Zadok K. Gyesi.
Award winners from other media organisations are Joseph Opoku Gakpo, Seth Kwame Boateng, David Andoh, Benedict Owusu, Kwetey Nartey, Rebecca Awuah, Felix Klutse, Joseph Opoku-Gakpo, Elvis Darko, Jamila Akweley Okertchiri, Wendy A. Laryea, Alberto Mario Noretti. The rest are Nii Adjei Klu, Daniel Nanor, Rebecca Ekpe, Ayele Ayittey, Kafui Kanyi, Samuel K. Boateng, Samuel Adadi Akapule, Kwettey Nartey and Abdul Hayi Moomen.
Special guests
This year’s event theme: “Ghana in Search of Reliable Energy to Power Development: The Role of the Media,” is ostensibly to play up the role of the media in finding a lasting solution to the country’s epileptic power supply.
President John Dramani Mahama, who is himself a paid-up member of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), would be the special guest of honour for the event. The last time the President made it to a GJA event was in 2011 when he was the Vice-President of the country. At the time, WikiLeaks was the most topical issue on board. Mr Mahama used the occasion to criticise some journalists for the manner in which they had used the WikiLeaks reports to attack and vilify perceived political opponents.
With the energy crisis, the state of the economy and a polarised and the unprofessional conduct of some media personnel dominating public discourse in recent times, President Mahama is expected to use the platform to speak to those issues.
Other speakers for the night would include the Chairman of the National Peace Council, Most Rev Professor Emmanuel Asante, who will be the Chairman of the occasion; Mr Kwaku Awotwi, the Principal of the Africa Power Systems Management (APSM), will be the guest speaker in addition to the Chairman of the National Media Commission, Mr Kabral Blay-Amihere.
Old rivalries to be rekindled
On the journalists night of honour, old rivalries will be rekindled as three of Ghana’s media houses – the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and Multimedia Group – jostle alongside other media houses for the ultimate crown—the PAV Ansah Journalist of the Year crown.
Last year, GCGL’s Mabel Aku Baneseh took home the ultimate diadem. That night did not lack surprises. A member of staff of TV Africa, Kwetey Nartey, momentarily stole the show, as he went to the podium to receive four awards. This pepped up expectations that he could smile home with the ultimate. Even before the ultimate award was announced, Nartey’s friends and colleagues were ready for a victory lap. That was not to be.
Although the night would be the celebration of journalistic excellence, it is incomplete without its accompanying display of culture, food and music this year from the melodious Police Band.
Media role in finding solution to dumsor
The President of the GJA, Mr Affail Monnie, told the Daily Graphic in an interview that the choice of the theme was because of the hellish effect of the energy crisis on everyone, including media operators.
“Some of our colleagues have been laid off because of the dumsor,” he said.
He said it was not enough for the media to criticise the country’s inability to achieve reliable energy supply but should be part of finding a lasting solution to the challenge.
‘Our bad side is overshadowed by good side’
Ghanaian media critics insist that the awards have, over the years, besides their controversies, not contributed to improving standards in the media landscape.
But the GJA President disagreed with the words: “The impact of the awards is immeasurable. People just look at our bad side and conclude that all is doom and gloom but we do have batches of professional journalists who deserve to be celebrated.”
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