Accra, 22nd September, 2011 – MTN Ghana has congratulated journalists who received various awards at the 16th edition of the prestigious Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) awards ceremony, held at the Banquet Hall of the State House last Friday. “We also congratulate all award winning media houses across the country for demonstrating high journalistic attributes in the execution of their work through informative, educative and entertaining programmes and publications. Congratulations to Mr. Kwaku Owusu Peprah, Joy FM’s Western Regional correspondent for emerging the overall winner as the Journalist of the year 2010”. For their package, all award winners will take home a laptop and a hamper containing MTN corporate gifts items. MTN also extended a special applause to Mr. Manasseh Azure (a freelance journalist) for winning the Most Promising Journalist of the year, a maiden addition to the award categories sponsored by MTN, and Samuel Dowuona, a News Editor at Adom FM in Accra for winning the telecommunications reporter for two consecutive years. “MTN is happy to announce that both winners will have the opportunity to receive an all expenses paid trip to attend the 2012 Highway Africa conference organised by Rhodes University in South Africa. Mr. Azure also gets an additional prize of One Thousand Two Hundred cedis airtime vouchers from MTN.” A statement by MTN said it recognises the effort of the GJA to promote media excellence to impact positively on national growth and development, quoting its Corporate Services Executive, Mrs. Cynthia Lumor as saying; “We are particularly excited at the theme for this year’s event, Giving Impetus to Democracy and Development in Africa: the Role of Investigative Journalism because of its extreme relevance to the watchdog role the media plays in the society.” Mrs. Cynthia Lumor assured the media of MTN’s continued support to building the capacity of journalists by creating training opportunities for them. This she pledged to do in partnership with media training institutions in Ghana and Africa. She also congratulated the executives of the GJA, the awards committee, the planning committee and other partners for making the celebration of journalism a success.