GJA Outdoors Awards Committee

The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has inaugurated a committee to assess nominations for the 16th GJA Awards.
The 11-member committee is made up of renowned journalists and people who have distinguished themselves in their various fields of endeavour.
They are Edward Ameyibor, former GJA president, Dr Doris Yaa Dartey, Communication consultant and Journalism Educator, Roberta Gardiner, former Head of training Ghana Television and Nana Kofi Coomson, Publisher of the Chronicle newspaper and former Journalist of the Year.
The rest are Tim Quashigah, Lecturer, Ghana Institute of Journalism, Ato Amoaning-Annan, Acting Dean Journalism and Communication, African University College of Communications and Enimil Ashong, former editor Ghanaian Times and Spectator, among others.
Speaking at the inauguration, GJA Vice President, Affail Monney admitted that ‘examining and assessing all these entries and nominations will in no doubt be a Herculean task.
“But we are convinced that as has always been the case, the Awards Committee will live up to the task”.
He also noted that the awards should be seen as part of the overall effort by the association to promote high journalistic standards to serve as a barometer for measuring periodically the performance of the Ghanaian media and journalists in particular.
“Let me use this opportunity to allay the fears of those who argue that the media will be compelled to compromise their critical instinct simply because the GJA awards receive support from friends and well-wishers in its organisation of the awards.
“That is simply untenable because the media houses and award winners do not directly go about soliciting for support and therefore not obliged to compromise their critical role just for the sake of winning an award,” he added.
Mr. Monney also stated that six awards have been added to existing ones, bringing the number to 38.
These are the best reporter in Science, Social security, Agriculture, Oil, Gas and Anti-Narcotic.
“It is our belief that the expansion and focus on specific areas will help to encourage specialization in the Ghanaian media,” he noted.
Speaking on behalf of the committee members, Dr Doris Yaa Dartey stated that “we will sort through the chaff and come out with the diamonds among them”.
The 2011 awards competition is the 16th edition since the GJA awards became a regular feature of association, which was founded in august 14th 1949.
This years’ award ceremony is scheduled for August 20, 2011 at the Banquet Hall, State House under the theme: “Giving Impetus to Democracy and Development in Africa: The role of Investigative Journalism.”

Dailyguide, 1st june 2011.