Mr Anthony Adongo Apubeo, a Chief Reporter with the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga, has been honoured for the second year running at the second edition of the Inclusive and Anti-Conflict Journalism Awards held in Accra.
His feature titled: “Bawku Chieftaincy Conflict: Threat to Achieving SDG Four”, which highlighted the impact of the protracted conflict on the education of children in the area, won him the runner up position in the online/Wire Service category.
He was among six finalists who were honoured at the second edition, which received 41 applications this year as compared to 30 last year.
The event was organised by the Media Platform on Environment and Climate Change (MPEC) in collaboration with a Ugandan based Minority Rights Group, Africa (MRGA) on the theme: “Deepening Quality and Ethical Journalism to Address Conflict and Minority exclusion”.
The purpose was to recognise and honour journalists in Ghana working to raise public awareness on issues about climate change, conflict, migration and minority groups in the country.
Mr Mohammed Fugu of the Daily Graphic emerged as the Overall Best reporter for the second year running after emerging winner in the Print Category ahead of his colleague Mr Timothy Ngnenbe of the same Daily Graphic who secured the runner up position.
On the Online/Wire Service category, Mr Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen of Apexnewsgh emerged winner while in the Television category, Mr Emmanuel Bright Quaicoe of Joynews came first while Ms Monalisa Frimpong, also of Joynews came second.
Mrs Mary Kudom-Agyemang, Executive Director, MPEC, said the awards scheme, which was instituted last year was part of its strategic plan to give incentives to journalists to amplify voices around environment, climate change, conflict and minority groups.
“It is also to improve media coverage narratives of not only the negatives but also the positive stories,” she added.
Mr Roland Affail Monney, former President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), said Ghana continued to lose huge sums of money annually to bad environmental practices such as indiscriminate felling of trees, increasing activities of illegal and littering of the environment among others and underscored the destined roles of journalists to addressing the situation and ensuring environmental sustainability.
“Given the devastating impact of climate change and the fact that whenever the rains pour, the sad spectacle and destruction of roads and property, all these examples reinforce the fact that Ghana as a nation is on the brink of environmental disaster,” he said.
Mr Kofi Yeboah, General Secretary of the GJA, said journalists had significant roles to play to educate the people and that also required continuous learning to be abreast with the issues to lead the advocacy better.
He said journalists needed to also highlight climate adaptation measures that would inform policy direction and ensure that communities emulated same, especially in the era of climate change instead of always focusing on the negatives.
GNA
FAA/LKA/GRB
31 May 2024
