The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has demanded a full account from the Ghana Armed Forces over reported attacks on journalists during recent demolition exercises at Laboma Beach and La Pressure Beach in Accra.
GJA President, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, made the demand while launching the 30th GJA Media Awards, stressing that journalists must be allowed to work freely and safely in the discharge of their professional responsibilities.
The 30th edition of the prestigious awards is being held under the theme, **“30th GJA Media Awards: Celebrating Excellence, Advancing Media Freedom and Combating Hate Speech in the Digital Age.”** The theme, according to Mr Dwumfour, reflects both the achievements of Ghanaian journalists and the emerging challenges confronting the profession.
He said the awards represented more than an annual ceremony, describing the 30th edition as a major milestone in the history of the GJA and a celebration of excellence, courage, professionalism, innovation and impact in Ghanaian journalism.
“Over the years, these Awards have honoured journalists whose work has informed public debate, held power to account, exposed wrongdoing, amplified the voices of the vulnerable and contributed meaningfully to national development,” Mr Dwumfour said.
According to him, the changing media environment, driven by technology, social media and artificial intelligence, had transformed how news was produced, distributed and consumed, but had not altered the fundamental responsibilities of journalists.
“The tools may have changed, but the fundamental responsibility of the journalist remains the same. We must seek the truth. We must verify information. We must be fair. We must provide context. Above all, we must protect the credibility of our profession,” he stated.
Mr Dwumfour warned that the rapid spread of misinformation, disinformation and hate speech made credible journalism more important than ever, urging practitioners to prioritise accuracy, fairness, independence, ethical conduct and responsible journalism.
He also expressed the GJA’s appreciation to President John Dramani Mahama and his government for tasking the GJA and the Media Foundation for West Africa to engage stakeholders in a national dialogue on comprehensive measures to address hate speech and other challenges within Ghana’s media ecosystem, particularly on new media platforms.
On the safety of journalists, the GJA President condemned reported attacks involving journalist Philip Abutiate of Bullet TV during a demolition exercise at Laboma Beach and Kweku Dennis Sika of Sika Official at La Pressure Beach.
“The GJA condemns these incidents in the strongest possible terms. Journalists must be allowed to work freely and safely,” he said, adding that no security operation should become an excuse for assaulting media practitioners performing their constitutional responsibility of informing the public.
He subsequently gave the Ghana Armed Forces a two-week deadline to provide a clear and comprehensive account of investigations into the incidents, including disciplinary or other actions taken against personnel found responsible.
Mr Dwumfour further called on the Minister for the Interior, the National Security Coordinator and the Chief of Defence Staff to ensure that the deadline was met and that the outcome of the investigations was communicated publicly.
He warned that failure to receive a satisfactory report would compel the GJA to pursue the matter through appropriate legal, institutional and public accountability channels.
“The safety of journalists is not a favour. It is a fundamental requirement for the protection of press freedom and the survival of democracy,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, the GJA announced that it had received 327 entries from 206 journalists for this year’s awards, describing the response as one of the highest recorded in recent years. The entries comprised 125 from online media, 111 from television, 46 from print and 45 from radio.
Two new categories have also been introduced for the 30th edition: the **New Media Platform Awards** and the **Governor’s Economic and Financial Story of the Year Award**. The former seeks to encourage professionalism and ethical conduct among bloggers and new-media practitioners, while the latter recognises excellence in economic and financial reporting.
The Governor’s Economic and Financial Story of the Year Award attracted more than ten entries despite being a new category. Mr Dwumfour expressed appreciation to the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Johnson Asiama, for supporting the category and encouraged other institutions to sponsor specialised awards in areas including energy, sports, environment, health, education, business and technology.
The GJA Awards Committee, chaired by Commissioner of the National Media Commission and former Daily Graphic Editor, Kobby Asmah, will conduct an independent assessment of all submitted works before submitting its recommendations to the GJA National Executive for consideration and approval.
Other members of the committee include A.C. Ohene, Richard Mensah, Ellen Avorgbedor, Christian Akorli, Nana Kwasi Appiah, Georgina Naa-Maku Quaittoo, Kingsley Nsiah-Poku and Awudu Mahama.
Mr Dwumfour said the credibility of the awards depended on fairness, independence, transparency and professionalism in the assessment process, and urged the committee to uphold those principles.
The 30th GJA Media Awards ceremony is scheduled for **Saturday, November 7, 2026, in Accra**, with President John Dramani Mahama expected to serve as Special Guest of Honour. The Patron of the GJA, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, is also expected to attend, alongside the Ga Mantse, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, who will be Guest of Honour.
The GJA President urged journalists to see the awards not merely as a competition for trophies but as a recognition of journalism that serves the public interest, exposes wrongdoing, informs citizens, influences policy and gives voice to neglected communities.
“A well-researched investigation can expose wrongdoing. A powerful human-interest story can draw attention to a neglected community. A carefully reported story can influence public policy,” he said.
Mr Dwumfour expressed gratitude to sponsors and partners, particularly KGL Group, Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City and the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, as well as corporate Ghana, development partners and media organisations supporting the awards.
He concluded by challenging journalists to raise the standards of the profession by choosing “accuracy over haste, truth over convenience, courage over fear and integrity over influence.”
He urged practitioners to continue investigating issues of public interest, asking difficult questions and telling stories that protect the vulnerable, promote accountability and contribute to national development.
“Let the 30th GJA Media Awards mark a renewed commitment to journalism that Ghana can trust,” Mr Dwumfour said.
