The Upper East Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Albert Sore, has called on journalists in the region to work harder to provide hope and accountability in their communities through responsible and impactful journalism.
Delivering a welcome address at the 4th Upper East Regional GJA Awards ceremony held in Bolgatanga, Mr. Sore said journalists play a critical role in shaping society, particularly in deprived communities such as those in the Upper East Region. He urged media practitioners to move beyond “surface-level” reporting and commit to uncovering issues that truly affect the lives of citizens.
“Journalists must work hard to provide hope in the face of the challenges our people face. We must move beyond surface-level tourism of schools or ministries to investigate how budgets are allocated and spent, whether procurement processes are transparent, and which critical areas in education, health, roads, and agriculture need urgent attention,” he stated.
According to him, journalists must also give a voice to the voiceless by creating platforms for students, teachers, parents, persons with disabilities, and the poor to share their experiences, not as isolated incidents but as reflections of broader systemic issues.
Mr. Sore said this year’s theme, “Upholding Public Trust: The Role of the Media in Promoting Accountable Governance in the Upper East Region,” was carefully chosen to remind journalists of their duty to ensure transparency and accountability in governance.
He commended the 13 journalists who received awards on the night, praising them for their courage and commitment to ethical and balanced reporting.
“The awardees tonight have demonstrated that they were willing to look beyond the surface, to take risks, to go where others dared not go, and to ask the critical questions. In doing so, they were honest, fair, balanced, and ethical,” he said.
Highlighting gender inequality within the profession, Mr. Sore expressed concern over the low participation of women in journalism and their underrepresentation in the awards.
“You will see from the awards tonight that the number of women receiving awards is far less than that of men. This reflects the structural barriers that make it difficult for women to have equal opportunities,” he noted.
To address this, he announced a new initiative — the HerHeadline Project — which aims to train and empower female journalists in the region to produce more impactful stories and compete fairly in future awards.
“When I was campaigning to be regional chairman, I promised to bridge this gap. The HerHeadline Project will give specialized training to our female members so they can produce impactful journalistic works. We will need the support of everyone here tonight to make this a reality,” Mr. Sore appealed.
He further disclosed that the regional GJA plans to organize a public forum soon to discuss the growing issue of indiscipline and insecurity in second-cycle schools.
The 4th Upper East Regional GJA Awards marked the first major event organized by the new regional executives since assuming office in July this year. The awards ceremony was sponsored by WaterAid Ghana under the SHARE Project, Paga Youth Movement, Kacstone Records, Cardinal Namdini Mining Company Ltd, and the Ghana Shippers’ Authority.
Other sponsors included Rural Initiatives for Self-Empowerment (RISE) Ghana, MTN Ghana, Endswell Pharmacy, Development Research and Advocacy Center (DRAC), and Earl International Group Gold Ghana Ltd.
The rest are Physioshop Production Center (PPC) Paga, Widows and Orphans Movement (WOM), Ghana Hotels Association – Upper East Region Branch, Adonai Sports Management, UK, Ghana Tourism Authority, Atiamah Catering Services, Blue Sky Hotel, Bolga Technical University, ICOUR, Mozak Multimedia Services, and Afrikids Ghana.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Joshua Asaah|Bolgatanga
