At the close of nominations on Tuesday, May 4, 2021, three people including Gayheart Edem Mensah, a Media Consultant and former Staff of Ghanaian Times Newspaper, Dave Agbenu, current Editor of the Ghanaian Times newspaper and Albert Kwabena Dwumfuor the General Manager of Atinka Media Village have filed to contest for the Presidency of the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA).
The incumbent vice president – Linda Asante-Agyei of the Ghana News Agency (GNA) has filed to retain her position, while Audrey Dekalu, also of the GNA, wants to become the Treasurer of the Association.
For the General Secretary position, the incumbent Kofi Yeboah, and Nana Akwasi Agyeman of the Multimedia Group have filed to contest, while Dominic Hlordzi of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and Mary Mensah of the Graphic Communications Group Limited both former members of the Parliamentary Press Corps have filed to contest for the Organizing Secretary position.
Two other people, Rebecca Ekpe of GBC, and Caesar Abagali of the GNA will lock horns for the Public Affairs Officer position.
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Secretary to the GJA Elections Committee, Peter Agbeko, who received the nomination forms on behalf of the Committee thanked the candidates for expressing their interests in the race.
He said the committee would vet all the candidates for professional competence among other obligations in accordance with the guidelines of the Association.
He announced that the presidential aspirants would be scrutinized through a debate and entreated all aspirants to prepare for the day.
The GJA opened the nominations for the elections on Tuesday, April 13, 2021, for a fee between GHS3000.00 and GHS1000.00, depending on the position one is vying for.
Some Journalists who are aspiring for regional positions have also filed their nominations in the various regions.
Some of the aspirants who spoke to the Media promised to conduct their campaigns devoid of abusive words and name-calling and any other thing that would affect the image of the association.
They expressed concerns about the current poor state of the Journalist in Ghana and promised to work to turn the Association around when given the node at the elections.
The 2021 GJA election Committee is Chaired by Lawyer Osei Kwadwo Addo, a Senior Journalist and Lecture at the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ).
Source: with additional files from ghananewsonline.com.gh expressnewsghana.com