Full Text: Speech delivered by President of GJA at the Northern Regional Awards held in Tamale

SPEECH DELIVERED BY GJA PRESIDENT ALBERT KWABENA DWUMFOUR AT THE NORTHERN REGIONAL GJA AWARDS HELD IN TAMALE ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2024.

The Speaker of Parliament, Right Hon. Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin
The Minister for Finance Mr. Mohammed Amin Adam
Chairman of the Northern Regional Chapter of GJA Majid my good friend
Hardworking Executives of the GJA Northern Region Chapter
Invited Guests
Colleagues from the noble profession
Ladies and gentlemen

It gives me great pleasure to join you once again to celebrate with you on the occasion of your Awards Night celebration. Last year I was here, and today I’m here. This tells you that your leadership is doing something great, and let me emphasize that I’ve always felt at home when I attend your awards.
Ladies and gentlemen, let me begin by commending all of you journalists and media practitioners gathered here for your selfless dedication to duty and your contributions to the development of our dear country. In the face of economic hardship and myriads of challenges associated with your work, including attacks, you have held forth and demonstrated courage and professionalism.
I think you all deserve commendation ( I say Ayeekoo to all of us).

Speaking of attacks on the media, let me also commend the Right Honourable Speaker for his bold public support for the protection of the media and the promotion of the welfare of journalists. Importantly, the Honorable Speaker is the only Fourth Republic Speaker to publicly support the media. Therefore, I’m not surprised that he’s here to celebrate with us as the keynote speaker. This tells you how passionate he is about the media. Mr Speaker, I hope you will join us at the national level on September 28th.

Mr Speaker, we also want to plead with you to support a Private Members’ bill that will promote media freedom and ensure a good welfare regime, i.e., journalists’ salaries and conditions of service, are phenomenal and commendable.

Right Honourable Speaker, I join all journalists in Ghana in expressing my gratitude to you.

We want to assure you that the media will continue to support you in your quest to deepen Ghana’s democracy through your parliamentary efforts.

Given the current economic hardships, it is a well-known fact that journalists and media practitioners are among the lowest-paid professionals in this country. I want to take this opportunity to plead with the Finance Minister to champion the financial well-being of journalists and resource the state-owned media, including GNA and GBC, to deliver well on their mandate.

This will also encourage private media owners to do the same. This is crucial because, as former US President Barack Obama stated during his visit to Ghana, strong institutions, not strong individuals, are responsible for developing nations and ensuring accountability.

Ladies and gentlemen, we gather tonight to celebrate the best of our profession, recognizing that an association that does not recognize its members is not worth dying for. We honor the courageous, the diligent, and the passionate individuals who have dedicated themselves to seeking truth and holding power accountable.

It is essential to note that journalism is not just a profession; it’s a calling. It’s a commitment to serve the public interest, to amplify marginalized voices, and to shed light on the darkest corners of our society.
We are journalists, not just storytellers; we are guardians of the public’s right to know. We are the watchdogs of democracy.

In a world where misinformation and disinformation threaten the very fabric of our democracy, your work has never been more crucial. Therefore, it is only fair that we celebrate you in such an honorable way as this.

Ladies and gentlemen, the theme of the Awards, “Ensuring Violence-Free Elections: The Role of the Media, could not have been more appropriate, given the fact that Ghana goes into a crucial election in a few months.

Analysts have described this election as crucial. This is where, as the fourth estate of the realm, our role in guarding our democracy and the peace we are enjoying comes into play, and it is very sacred.
As we approach the 2024 elections, the media must allow professionalism and high ethical standards to take precedence over anything we do in terms of fulfilling our duty.

The media must refrain from taking sides, be objective, and contribute their quota in ensuring free and fair elections.

The media is the watchdog of democracy, and our responsibility is to inform, educate, and hold those in power accountable, failing which any other action we take is a sham.

In the context of elections, ladies and gentlemen, we play a crucial role in
• Promoting peaceful political discourse
• We are exposing hate speech and incitement to violence.
• Providing balanced and impartial coverage
• Amplifying marginalized voices
• Investigating and reporting on electoral malpractices

By doing so, we can:
• Reduce tensions and prevent conflict.
• Encourage voter participation and engagement.
• Foster a culture of tolerance and respect.
• Support the integrity of the electoral process.
• Ensure accountability and transparency.

Let’s commit to fact-based reporting and steer clear of sensationalism and emotive language.

We need to give voice to diverse perspectives, collaborate with other media outlets to promote peaceful elections, and above all, hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards of journalism.

The GJA believes that together we can make a difference and ensure that our elections are free from violence, intimidation, and manipulation.

In conclusion, I am pleased to announce that the GJA, in preparation for the 2024 elections, signed an MOU with the US Embassy under the “GJA/US Embassy Peaceful Journalistic Discourse, where we trained about 155 journalists nationwide.

The project’s goal is to promote violence-free and credible elections in Ghana through well-informed and trained journalists who use best practices for fact-based and non-partisan election reporting.

Fellow media colleagues, one major issue that has dominated public discussions in recent times is the activities of illegal miners, popularly called Galamsey. And I want to thank journalists for bringing this disturbing issue to the forefront.

Let’s continue to exert pressure on the relevant authorities to take the necessary actions to preserve and protect the environment.

The government has just announced the formation of an ad hoc Ministerial Committee to engage all stakeholders in assessing the government’s efforts to deal with illegal mining in Ghana.

As media practitioners, let’s monitor this committee and make sure it performs its duties effectively and efficiently. Let’s give the general public frequent updates about its activities or progress.

Let us rise to the challenge and fulfill our responsibility as democratic guardians.
Let us continue to strive for excellence, to seek truth, and to hold power accountable.

Before I resume my seat, I want to seize the opportunity to congratulate all nominees and winners for their hard work. I want to say that the GJA appreciates your work.

I also want to invite everyone here to the 28th GJA Media Awards, which will take place on the 28th of September 2024 at the Accra International Conference Center at 5 pm. Let’s all be present and celebrate our hardworking journalists.

And to the executives led by Majid, I say Ayekoo for the yeoman’s job.

I thank you all
God bless us all and enjoy the rest of the night.

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