The Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) President, Mr. Albert Kwabena D has charged media practitioners to exhibit high professional standards in their work.
He made this known when given a welcome address during the inauguration of some major committees to help facilitate the activities of GJA.
Mr. Dwomfo said,it is a constitutional obligation and also a crucial step towards repositioning GJA as the umbrella association for all media practitioners with the responsibility to promote the highest professional standards.
He averred saying, they believe that the Committees, which are largely the structures or institutions of the Association, if well built, would place GJA in the enviable position again, admired by all, locally and internationally.
Mr. Albert Kwabena Dwumfour revealed that, the inaugurated Committees include the Membership Vetting Committee, Professional Development Committee, Social Affairs Committee, International Relations Committee, and Finance and Resource Mobilisation Committee.
“As individuals appointees, you have an opportunity to work to improve the fortunes of the GJA. You equally have an opportunity to sit on the fence to watch the GJA struggle, but doing the latter remains more crucial than the former”.
He pointed out that, there is high expectation from the various Committees looking at the caliber of professionals chosen.
According to Mr Dwumfour, the committees established and constituted in pursuant to articles 30 and 31 of the GJA Constitution 2004 and chaired by a member of the National Executive have established the Social Media Committee and the Project Committee to enhance the GJA’s activities.
The Committees inaugurated include the Membership Vetting Committee, Professional Development Committee, Social Affairs Committee, International Relations Committee and Finance and Resource Mobilisation Committee.
Also constituted is the Ethics & Disciplinary Council enshrined under Article 42 of the GJA Constitution.
The Membership Vetting Committee (MVC) is chaired by the GJA President, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour.
Other members of the MVC are A. B. Kafui Kanyi, Ghana News Agency; Seth Eyiah, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation; Mary Mensah, Daily Graphic, and Nana Yaa Konadu, UTV.
The Professional Development Committee (PDC) is chaired by the GJA General Secretary, Kofi Yeboah.
The other members are Tina Aforo-Yeboah, former Editor of Spectator; Ekuoba Gyasi, Atinka FM; Daniel Kenu, Daily Graphic, and Ernest Obeng-Anim, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation.
The GJA National Organising Secretary, Dominic Hlordzi, is the chairman of the Social Affairs Committee (SAC) whose members are Grace Nana Esi Boateng, Oman FM; John Vigah, Ghanaian Times; Peter Ankomah, Daily Dispatch, and Alice Tettey, Ghana News Agency, Cape Coast.
The International Relations Committee (IRC) is chaired by the GJA Vice President, Linda Asante Agyei, with the following as members: Ramsey Benambe, Ghana News Agency; Suleiman Mustapha, Daily Graphic; Nii Odartey Lamptey, Ghana Broadasting Corporation; and Zambaga Rufai, Metro TV..
The members of the Finance & Resource Mobilisation Committee (FRMC), which is chaired by the GJA Treasurer, Audrey Dekalu, are Donald Ato Dapatem, Daily Graphic; Samuel Ofori Ayim, Atinka FM; Mabel Aku Baneseh,CREDICOMMS Limited, and Yaa Oforiwaa Asare-Peasah, former Editorial Manager, Ghana News Agency.
With regards to the Ethics & Disciplinary Council, it has Col (Rtd) Mbawine Atintande, a former Director of the Public Affairs Directorate of the Ghana Armed Forces, as Chairman.
The other members are Kwesi Pratt Jnr, Managing Editor, The Insight: Betty Apau-Oppong, former Director of News, GTV; Tanko Musah Zakaria, lecturer, University of Media, Arts and Communication Studies and Private Legal Practitioner, and Mavis Kitcher, former Director of News, Graphic Communications Group Limited.
Seth J. Bokpe of The Fourth Estate is a non-member Secretary to the Council.
Article 30(a)(vi) of the GJA Constitution mandates the National Executive to establish committees other than the statutory committees as it may deem appropriate.
In that respect, the National Executive has established the Project Management Committee (PMC) and the Social Media Visibility Committee (SMVC), both chaired by the GJA Public Affairs Officer, Rebecca Ekpe.
Other members of the PMC are Vance Azu, former Night Editor, Daily Graphic; Michael Mawugbe, Editor, Sena Radio Online; Maame Efua Mensah, UTV; Emmanuel Amponsah, former Editor, The Spectator; Fred Smith, Joy FM, and Kissi Yeboah, formerly of the Ghana News Agency.
Kojo Mpraim of the Media Foundation for West Africa is a co-opted member of the PMC.
In respect of the Social Media Visibility Committee, the other members are Gertrude Nyavie, Graphic Online; Richard Mensah, citifmonline; Komla Adom, TV3, and Mabel Adorkor Annan Ghana Broadcasting Corporation.
Solomon Fosu, an IT specialist, is a co-opted member of the committee.
