The 2025 Upper East Regional Journalist of the Year, Moses Apiah of A1 Radio, has urged journalists to prioritise stories affecting rural communities rather than allowing politicians and influential personalities to dominate media coverage.
He has also called on media organisations and other stakeholders to invest in the professional development of journalists, arguing that continuous training is essential to improving the quality of reporting and ensuring that underserved communities receive adequate media attention.
Speaking on Bolga FM’s Tinmaalgo Sanga programme, Mr Apiah said journalism must remain focused on ordinary people, particularly those in rural communities whose challenges and experiences often receive limited public attention.
Describing himself as a rural journalist, he explained that his commitment to reporting on underserved communities was driven by the belief that journalism should amplify the voices of people who might otherwise struggle to have their concerns heard.
He cautioned journalists against concentrating excessively on political activities and prominent personalities while neglecting issues affecting people at the grassroots.
According to him, rural communities have important stories about access to essential services, development challenges and local initiatives that deserve sustained media attention.
He maintained that giving such communities a voice could help bring neglected issues to the attention of authorities, promote accountability and encourage interventions to improve living conditions.
Mr Apiah said his recognition as the Upper East Regional Journalist of the Year had reinforced his commitment to rural journalism and demonstrated the importance of reporting on issues affecting ordinary people.
However, he acknowledged that producing impactful journalism required continuous learning and access to professional development opportunities.
He identified inadequate financial and logistical resources as major challenges preventing some media organisations from regularly training their journalists.
According to him, although many media houses recognise the importance of professional development, limited resources sometimes make it difficult for journalists to participate in training programmes.
Drawing on his experience, Mr Apiah said training opportunities provided by the Media Foundation for West Africa and DW Akademie had contributed significantly to his professional growth.
He explained that additional training from other institutions had helped him strengthen his reporting skills and improve the quality of his work.
He expressed concern that many journalists, particularly those working in resource-constrained media organisations, lacked similar opportunities to develop their professional skills.
Mr Apiah therefore appealed to individuals, organisations and development partners to support journalism training, suggesting that investing in even 10 to 15 journalists could make a meaningful contribution to improving reporting standards.
He argued that such investments would benefit not only the journalists but also the communities they serve through better coverage of development issues and stronger public accountability.
Beyond institutional support, Mr Apiah urged journalists to take personal responsibility for their professional growth by continuously improving their knowledge and skills.
He encouraged media practitioners to make effective use of available learning opportunities and strive to produce better stories with each assignment.
“If your story today, they are able to publish it, make sure your tomorrow’s story will be better than your yesterday’s story,” he said.
Reflecting on his journey into journalism, Mr Apiah disclosed that he had initially aspired to become a nurse but eventually entered the media profession.
He credited the mentorship and encouragement of experienced journalists with helping him develop his skills and establish himself in the profession.
Among those he acknowledged were William Jalula of The Fourth Estate, JoyNews’ regional correspondent, Edward Aditye of Media Without Borders and Joshua Asaah of A1 Radio.
He said their guidance had played an important role in shaping his career and strengthening his commitment to reporting on issues affecting rural communities.
Mr Apiah consequently encouraged experienced journalists to mentor younger colleagues and help them develop the skills needed to serve their audiences effectively.
He maintained that improving journalism required both investment in professional development and a renewed commitment to reporting on people and communities whose concerns were often overlooked.
According to him, when journalists acquire the necessary skills and focus their reporting on issues that matter to ordinary citizens, they can contribute more effectively to accountability and community development.
A1 Radio | 101.1 MHz | Moses Anaba Azubire | Bolgatanga
