The Northern Regional chapter of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has launched the 2022 regional awards, calling on journalists to use their platforms to promote unity, encourage moral uprightness, and social cohesion.
The Northern Regional Chairman of the GJA, Yakubu Abdul Majeed, urged journalists, particularly those in the north, to always update their skills and knowledge in order to fully live up to their responsibilities.
“The media plays an important role in building a better society,” he said. “There is therefore an urgent need for journalists, particularly those of us in the north, to always update our skills and knowledge in order to fully live up to our responsibilities.”
He also entreated journalists to use their platforms to promote unity and encourage moral uprightness.
“I would like to entreat colleagues to use our platforms to promote unity, and encourage moral uprightness and social cohesion,” he said.
Majeed also charged journalists in the region to make their mediums available for healthy debate on national issues.
“I charge colleagues in the region to make your medium and space available for a healthy debate on issues of national importance with the view to fostering unity, development, and progress,” he said.
On his part, the Northern Regional Minister, Saani Sayibu Alhassan, who was chairman for the launch, underscored the significance of the award, saying it ensures hard work and motivation for journalists.
“The significance of the award cannot be overestimated,” he said. “Not only has it generated positive momentum in motivating journalists to put up their best, but it has also galvanised the association in terms of member solidarity and projecting the best image. The reward for hard work is obviously a great recognition, and any institution delirious of progress must uphold this at all times.”
He further commended the GJA for appropriately choosing a theme that promotes national interest.
“Another important aspect of this annual event is that you have always carefully selected very topical issues as themes,” he said. “Recognizing that your theme centres on ‘promoting responsible behaviour to protect the environment, the role of the media’ is a great theme because it is generally accepted that the basis of any life is the environment, and you and I know that our own behaviours are responsible for the many environmental challenges that we face today.”
He called for a strong collaboration between state institutions and journalists in the region in addressing environmental issues.
“I want to use the opportunity of this year’s celebration to call for closer collaboration between state institutions and journalists in the region to address issues of the environment,” he said. “I believe that if we recognize the role of each other, we can work closely for a common good.”
The award is open to all journalists in the north.
A three-member committee has been set up to take charge of the entries and selection of winners.
