JoyNews Research Analyst Caleb Ziblim has been named the Overall Best Fellow at the maiden Africa Extractives Media Fellowship (AEMF), emerging as the top performer among the inaugural cohort of journalists trained to strengthen reporting on Ghana's extractive sector.

Mr Ziblim received the prestigious Berenice Owen-Jones Award for in-depth analytical reporting delivered with courage, integrity and selflessness. He also won three additional honours—the Prolific Reporter Award, Data and Technology Award, and Investigative Impact Award.

The awards recognise excellence in consistent reporting, the innovative use of data and technology in journalism, and investigative work that advances justice and transparency within Ghana's extractive industries.

Reflecting on the six-month fellowship, Mr Ziblim described the programme as a transformative experience that significantly deepened his understanding of Ghana's mining, oil and gas sectors.

"After six months of learning, reporting and engaging with stakeholders across Ghana's extractive industry, I am grateful to have completed the Africa Extractives Media Fellowship, delivered by Newswire Africa in partnership with the Australian High Commission in Ghana," he said.

According to him, the fellowship offered a unique opportunity to engage with government regulators, mining companies, development partners, civil society organisations and members of the international community.

"The fellowship provided a rare opportunity to engage with government regulators, mining companies, development partners, civil society and the international community, giving me a much deeper understanding of the policies, economics and governance issues shaping Ghana's extractive sector," he noted.

Mr Ziblim said the programme also enabled him to establish valuable professional relationships across the extractive industry, which he intends to maintain as he continues covering the sector.

"I am honoured to have been named the Overall Best Fellow, receiving the Berenice Owen-Jones Award, named after the outgoing Australian High Commissioner to Ghana. I was also privileged to receive three additional awards recognising my reporting throughout the fellowship," he said.

He noted that the experience had strengthened his expertise and reinforced the value of evidence-based journalism in informing policy discussions.

"My reporting and analysis have informed conversations among government officials, investors and industry players, reaffirming the importance of data-driven, evidence-based analytical reporting," he stated.

Looking ahead, Mr Ziblim said he hopes to collaborate with organisations seeking research, data analysis, strategic communications and stakeholder engagement within Ghana's extractive industries.

"As I continue to build on this work, I look forward to collaborating with organisations and stakeholders seeking deeper insight into Ghana's extractive sector, from gold, bauxite and lithium to oil and gas, whether through research, data analysis, strategic communications or stakeholder engagement," he added.

The recognition comes at the conclusion of the maiden Africa Extractives Media Fellowship, an initiative launched in 2025 by Newswire Africa in collaboration with the Australian High Commission in Ghana, the Ghana Chamber of Mines and several partner organisations to strengthen journalism on responsible and sustainable resource governance across Africa.

The inaugural cohort of about 30 journalists graduated on July 7, 2026, during a ceremony at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra. The event also marked the inauguration of a second cohort of about 50 journalists, who will undergo similar training to enhance reporting on the extractive sector.

Speaking at the ceremony, Programme Lead for the fellowship, Kwakye Afreh-Nuamah, underscored the growing opportunities available to journalists specialising in extractive industry reporting.

"Doors are opening in this country for our journalists to enter. There's much more to come, and not everything will be mentioned tonight," he said.

The outgoing Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, Her Excellency Berenice Owen-Jones, reaffirmed Australia's commitment to supporting responsible mining and sustainable resource governance.

"In the eyes of many, Australia and responsible mining are synonymous," she said.

Other organisations supporting the fellowship include the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC), the Petroleum Hub Development Corporation, the University of Ghana Business School, the University of Mines and Technology, the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), CDD-Ghana, Digital Earth Africa and the Tema Oil Refinery.