A lecturer at the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Ghana, Legon, Dr. Sarah Akrofi-Quarcoo, has been appointed Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Media Awards Review Committee.

Her appointment was made known in a press release issued by the President of the GJA, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour dated July 21, 2022.

Dr. Akrofi-Quarcoo will be chairing the seven-member Committee set by the National Executive of the GJA "to review the GJA Media Awards to make it better, bigger and more responsive to the needs and expectations of members."

Other members of the Committee are: Director of Television, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, Mr Ebenezer Ampaabeng; Editor, The Mirror, Ms Doreen Hammond; Deputy News Editor, Ghana News Agency, Mr A. B. Kafui Kanyi; News Editor, Peace FM, Nana Yaw Kesseh; Executive Editor, Daily Guide Network, Mr Fortune Alimi; Programme Manager, Globe Production, Mr Latif Abubakar.

The Terms of Reference of the Committee include, but not limited to, the following:
i. The categories of the awards;
ii. Eligibility criteria for the awards;
iii. Processes of filing entries;
iv. Nature and form of organization of the awards;
v. Prize packages for award winners.

The release indicated that "The Aims and Objectives of the Association shall be to reward and honour outstanding members periodically" according to Article3(j) of the GJA Constitution 2004. Hence setting up of the Media Awards Review Committee.

"In that regard, the GJA instituted media awards organized annually to celebrate excellence in journalism by its members. After years of organizing the media awards, it has become necessary to review the flagship programme of the GJA and make it better," portions of the statement reads.

GJA further urged "members to accord the Committee the needed support to ensure the success of the task assigned it."

Meanwhile, this year’s Awards ceremony is expected to take place in November.

Read full statement below:

July 21, 2022

PRESS RELEASE

Dr Akrofi-Quarcoo chairs GJA Media Awards Review Committee

The National Executive of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has set up a committee to review the GJA Media Awards to make it better, bigger and more responsive to the needs and expectations of members.

The seven-member GJA Media Awards Review Committee is constituted as follows:
i. Dr Sarah Akrofi-Quarcoo, Lecturer, Department of Communication Studies, University of Ghana (Chairperson);
ii. Mr Ebenezer Ampaabeng, Director of Television, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (Member);
iii. Ms Doreen Hammond, Editor, The Mirror (Member);
iv. Mr A. B. Kafui Kanyi, Deputy News Editor, Ghana News Agency (Member/Secretary):
v. Nana Yaw Kesseh, News Editor, Peace FM (Member);
vi. Mr Fortune Alimi, Executive Editor, Daily Guide Network (Member), and
vii. Mr Latif Abubakar, Programme Manager, Globe Production (Member).

Article3(j) of the GJA Constitution 2004 provides: “The Aims and Objectives of the Association shall be to reward and honour outstanding members periodically”. In that regard, the GJA instituted media awards organized annually to celebrate excellence in journalism by its members. After years of organizing the media awards, it has become necessary to review the flagship programme of the GJA and make it better.

The Terms of Reference of the Committee include, but not limited to, the following:
i. The categories of the awards;
ii. Eligibility criteria for the awards;
iii. Processes of filing entries;
iv. Nature and form of organization of the awards;
v. Prize packages for award winners.

The Committee has a three-week tenure, beginning Monday, July 25, 2022, and it is expected to submit its recommendations to the National Executive of the GJA on or before Monday, August 15, 2022.

This year’s Awards ceremony will take place in November.

We urge members to accord the Committee the needed support to ensure the success of the task assigned it.

The National Executive of the GJA is eternally grateful to the venerable members for accepting to serve on the GJA Media Awards Review Committee.

Albert Kwabena Dwumfour
(President)