Two journalists from the Multimedia Group, Kwetey Nartey and Seth Kwame Boateng, have been adjudged West Africa’s best investigative journalists.

They were crowned at the 2022 edition of the West Africa Media Excellence Conference and Awards (WAMECA) held in Accra on Saturday, October 22, 2022.

Their work, Gold Smugglers, beat competition from a Senegalese journalist, Abdul Cise, and Ghana’s Francisca Enchil for her investigative work on the unlawful NHIS charges in health facilities, titled ‘Pay or Die’.

Luv FM’s Emmanuel Kwasi Debrah was also honoured with a certificate of merit in the Telecoms and ICTs category.

His story titled 'Ghana’s institutional apps: Wasting assets?' earned him that recognition. A Nigerian journalist won the award.

Nigerian female journalist Tessy Igomu from the Punch newspaper was adjudged West Africa’s Journalist of the year.

The event was graced by media experts, high-level personalities and delegates from sub-regional bodies and civil society groups.

At the award ceremony, all the 25 finalists received a Certificate of Merit.

The ultimate winners for the various categories, however, received plaques, certificates and various cash prizes.

West Africa Media Excellence Conference and Awards (WAMECA 2022) was supported by the US Embassy in Ghana, US-based William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, MTN-Ghana, UNESCO and Stanbic Bank.

The event was also supported by about 65 media partners across West Africa.

To enhance the capacity of the finalists, all 25 of them will be formally inducted as fellows of the Media Foundation for West Africa’s Journalism for Change Network.

They will also be offered local and international training opportunities to enhance their capacity to influence positive change in society through journalism.

The full list of winners are below:

• Tessy Igomu – West African Journalist of the Year
  • Environmental Reporting
• Adeola Oladipupo – Anti-Corruption Reporting
• Basseratou Kindo – Health Reporting
• Amos Abba – ICTs Reporting
• Oladeinde Adewoyin – Business Reporting
• Nabole Ignance Ismael – Women Empowerment Reporting
• Olatunji Ololade – Human Rights Reporting
• Darcicio Francisco Jose Monteiro Barbosa – Migration Reporting
• Kwetey Nartey and Seth Kwame Boateng – Investigative Reporting