2017 GJA Awards: Graphic runs away with the show

The Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) swept 15 awards at the 23rd GJA Awards held last Saturday.

Out of the 36 awards, 13 were won by journalists from the GCGL stable.

For the first time in many years, the Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel in Accra took over from the Banquet Hall of the State House as host of the celebration of excellence in Ghanaian media.

On a glitzy night when speeches, food, fashion and music flowed, the GCGL stretched its dominance in the annual awards to another level, with its journalists and the company’s brands sweeping 15 of the 36 awards.

It was a night on which the Ghana National Fire Service Band was in full blast, although there was no dance floor.

Heads nodded and feet tapped as the band dipped into its bank of both contemporary and old school songs that got many twisting, turning and clapping in their chairs.

The Graphic Awards

The Best News Reporting (Print) award was jointly won by Messrs Severious Kale-Dery and Seth Bokpe, both of the Daily Graphic, while the awards for Domestic Tourism (Print), Features (Print) and Agriculture (Print) were won by Mr Charles Andoh (The Mirror), Mrs Rebecca Quaicoe-Duho (Daily Graphic) and Mrs Ama Amankwaah Baafi (Graphic Business), respectively.

Awards for the Best Health Report (Print), Oil and Gas, Business, Finance andEconomic Reporting, Mining (Print) and Best Development Journalism Reporting went to Ms Doreen Hammond (Daily Graphic), Mr Moses Dotse Aklorbortu (Daily Graphic), Mr Suleiman Mustapha (Daily Graphic), Mr Gabriel Ahiabor (Daily Graphic) and Mr Timothy Ngnenbe (Daily Graphic), respectively.

Other categories won by journalists of the Graphic Communications Group Ltd were the Best Transport and Road Safety, Messrs Severious Kale-Dery and Seth J. Bokpe (Daily Graphic); Environment (Print), Mr Seth J. Bokpe (Daily Graphic), Disability (Print), Mr Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah (Daily Graphic), and Anti-Galamsey, Mr Timothy Ngnenbe (Daily Graphic).

The Daily Graphic also emerged as the Best Newspaper and also the Best Layout & Designed Newspaper.

Journalist of the Year

But it was the host of Citi FM's Breakfast Show, Mr Bernard Avle, who was adjudged the P.A.V. Ansah Journalist of the Year.

The ace broadcaster, who entered the media scene in 2000 at age 23, paid glowing tribute to people who stood the test of time and laid their lives for media freedom.

He could not hide his joy after his toils and dedication to quality and interrogative journalism practice yielded dividend after more than a decade of shaping national discourse with the microphone.

It was the second time in two years that a radio show host had taken home the ultimate diadem.

Peace FM's Mr Kwami Sefa Kayi walked away with it last year.

On his night of glory, Mr Avle stepped into the Hall of Fame of accomplished Ghanaian journalists wearing a black suit.

Crowning

It was a moment of joy when the GJA President, Mr Roland Affail Monney; the Chairperson of the event and Law Professor at the University of Ghana, Prof. Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu, and other dignitaries jointly decorated Mr Avle with the highest award of the night.

In a rather short but insightful remark, Mr Avle eulogised people who laid down their lives to liberalise the media space in the country.

"There were those who fought for media freedom in this country.

I entered Radio Universe in 2000 because the airwaves had been liberalised a few years before.

“Some journalists lost their lives fighting for media freedom, while the works of people such as Dr Charles Wireko-Brobby, Mr Abdul Malik Kweku Baako Jnr and many others had made it easy to be a journalist today.

I acknowledge them all," he said.

Other award winners

The Most Promising Journalist of the Year award went to Ms Alice Aryitey of GhOne TV.

The Multimedia Group picked seven awards; the Despite Group received six, the Ghana News Agency (GNA) and TV3 bagged four each, the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), the Daily Guide, the Excellence in Broadcasting (EIB) Network and the Omni Media Limited picked three awards each, while Atinka TV bagged two awards.