GJA goes to the Polls today

Members of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) will vote today to elect their national executive officers at various designated polling centres across Ghana..

This election, slated for today, June 24, 2022, has stirred the interest in many Journalists due to the undue delay
in organizing the elections

The National Executive structure has slots for President, Vice President, General Secretary, Treasurer, Public Affairs, and Organizing Secretary.

However, the candidature for the Vice President (Mrs Linda Asante Agyei) and Treasurer (Mrs Audrey Dekalu) are going unopposed.

For the Presidency, Mr Dave Agbenu is number ‘one’ on the ballot paper, with Mr Gayheart Mensah as number ‘two’, while Mr Albert Kwabena Dwomfuor is number ‘3’.

Contesting the office of the General Secretary, Mr Akwasi Agyeman is number ‘one’ and his contender, Mr Kofi Yeboah, is number ‘two’ on the ballot paper.

For the office of Public Affairs, Madam Rebecca Ekpe is number ‘one’ and her contender Mr Caesar Abagali, is number ‘two’ on the ballot paper.

Ms Mary Mensah has the first spot on the ballot, while Mr Dominic Hlordzi has the second for the position of Organising Secretary.

About the Aspirants:

Gayheart Mensah

Mr Gayheart Mensah has rich experience in Journalism, Public Affairs, Corporate Communication, Media Relations, Reputation Management, Stakeholder Management, Personal Branding, Content Development, Advocacy, CSR, Project Communication, Risk Mitigation, Crisis Communications and Regulatory Management.

He has also been involved in various Organizational Development (OD) interventions such as Strategy Development, Corporate Governance, Team Building and Organizational Health Assessment. He has been into Communications and Public Affairs for the past 34 years.

Mr Mensah started journalism with the “Ghanaian Times” and worked variously as Presidential, Parliamentary, and Court Correspondent among others. He joined Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) as News Editor of the “Graphic Showbiz” and moved on to become Assistant Features Editor of the “Daily Graphic”.

He returned to the New Times Corporation as Deputy Editor of “The Evening News” and was later appointed acting editor of the paper.

Mr Mensah also worked with Unilever Ghana as PR Manager for four years; Barclays Bank Ghana as Communication Manager for five years; Tullow Oil first as Communication Manager, and then as Head of Investor Relations and Corporate Communication for three years.

Later he became External Affairs and Communication Manager at Tullow’s Head Office in London. Two years into his work in London, he was head-hunted by Vodafone Ghana as Director of External Affairs.

He returned to Ghana and took responsibility for Regulatory, Compliance and Government Relations, Business Risk and Continuity, Corporate Security, Corporate Communication, Sustainability and CSR. Two years on, his remit was extended to include the Legal Department.

After six years with Vodafone, Gayheart decided to transition into consultancy. In 2020, he set up the KomsKraft Consult – a PR and Organization Development (OD) consultancy. KomsKraft responds to opportunities and challenges in such broad areas as PR, Communications, Advocacy, Government Relations, Community Relations, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Risk Management and Organization Development. His clients include the Canadian Government, the Speaker of Parliament, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, the University of Ghana and Newposss Limited among others.

Gayheart has also delivered communication training to the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Information Services Department (ISD), Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), the Judicial Service among many others.

He was an Adjunct Lecturer in Communication for the Masters Programme at the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ), and was also an adjunct lecturer in Public Relations at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA).

He is a former member of the board of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), a former member of the board of the Vodafone Foundation, and a former member of the board of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC). He currently serves on the Board of Komskraft Consult and Newposss Ghana Limited.

Gayheart holds a Diploma in Journalism from GIJ, a Postgraduate-Diploma in Organization Development from the University of Cape Coast, an MBA in Marketing from the Paris School of Graduate Management and an MSc. in Corporate Communications from the University of West London.
He also holds a Mini Masters in Regulatory Affairs from the University of Florida, USA, and a certificate in Project Management – Prince 2 from APGM-International, London.
Albert Kwabena Dwumfuor
Mr Albert Dwumfour, currently the Organising Secretary of the GJA, worked as a news reporter with the Daily Guide from 2005, and for the Insight newspaper as a freelance reporter and news reporter between 2007 and 2008.
He later joined the Independent newspaper as a freelance and news reporter and in 2010 set up The Ghanaian Analyst Newspaper together with Suleman Braimah, now Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa.

Mr Dwumfour later consulted for institutions like National Investment Bank (NIB), GCB Bank, Tobinco Pharmaceuticals (FDA, Tobinco Impasse), National Lottery Authority, Advanced Body Sculpt Centre (Obengfo Hospital), BOST, 21st Century Construction Limited, Apinto Divisional Council and Politicians and Private Business Owners as a PR Consultant.

In 2018, Mr. Dwumfour became a member and spokesperson for the Presidential Committee on Foreign Retail Trade Committee under the chairmanship of the Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyeremanten

He became General Manager for Atinka FM in 2014 and in 2020, set up De Westend Media Consultant Limited, publishers of the Daily Analyst and the Business Analyst, respectively.

Mr Dwumfour has an MA in Monitoring and Evaluation from GIMPA (2001), MA in International Relations and Diplomacy, GIMPA (2020), Post Graduate Certificate in Public Administration, GIMPA (2017), Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management, GIMPA (2013), and Advanced Diploma in Journalism, ICM (2007).

Dave Agbenu
Mr David Agbenu is a practising Journalist with the New Times Corporation (NTC). He is an Executive Management Member of NTC and currently the Editor of the Ghanaian Times newspaper.
He has worked for 30 years as a Journalist and in various capacities of the GJA including former General Secretary for three years, Organising Secretary, six years and the GJA NTC Chapter Secretary for six years.
He holds Masters in Communication (Media Management) from the Ghana Institute of Journalism, Degree in Communication Studies, Professional Masters in ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) and Certificate in Online Journalism (Germany).

SECRETARY GENERAL
Edmund Kofi Yeboah
Mr Kofi Yeboah is a trained journalist with more than 25 years of practising experience across the various media landscape.
He has worked at a number of state media including the Ghana News Agency, GBC radio and the Graphic Communications Group Limited.
He has served as the General Secretary of the GJA for three years and is the author of a book titled “Perils and Pearls…..Scrambles of a Stammering Scribe”
Mr Yeboah is also a Lecturer at the School of Communication Studies of Wisconsin International University College, Ghana.
He holds a Master of Arts in Democracy, Governance, Law and Development from the Institute of Development Studies, University of Cape Coast, Graduate Diploma in Communication Studies from the School of Communication Studies, University of Ghana, Bachelor of Laws from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and a Diploma in Journalism from GIJ.
He worked at GBC Radio, Daily Graphic, and Ghana Palava and founded, owned and edited “Revelation”, a weekly newspaper, and revelation.com, an online news portal.
He has won many GJA Awards including Best News Reporter (Radio – 1999), Best Economic /Finance Reporter (2006), Best Feature Writer (Print – 2008), and Best Agriculture Reporter and Joint Best Education Print both in 2010
Akwasi Agyeman
Mr David Okyere Akwasi Agyeman, popularly known as Akwasi Agyeman, is highly organised and meticulous editor with twenty years of experience in Journalism practice.
He is adept at editing news stories and double cross checking facts before news broadcast and a good communicator and planner with strong judgment and critical thinking abilities.
His skills include good time management, chairing of editorial meetings, articulacy, editing of stories, news production, effective newsroom management, excellent interviewing and efficiency in story writing.
His work history includes being an Editor at Peace FM, a Ghana Journalists Association award committee member, a spokesperson for Ghana Journalists Association Media Village Committee, a Board Member of the National Road Safety Commission (now Authority), and Teacher at Golden Child Preparatory School. He is currently an Editor at Multimedia (Adom FM) and final year PhD Candidate, Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana.
PUBLIC RELATION OFFICER
Rebecca Ekpe
Mrs Rebecca Ekpe, an Editor-in-Chief at the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, has a Communications/Media background in Journalism, politics, elections democracy and citizens’ engagement.
She has multiple years of experience researching, studying and working in the area of Journalism and media and Elections related advocacy projects. Currently, she is Head of GBC Online with oversight and harnessing support for GBC’s digitalization agenda.

During Ghana’s 2016 Presidential Election, Rebecca served as a Media Analyst, working with Women’s Situation Room-(WSR)-a UNDP funded project and a peace building mechanism, and served on the GBC’s Political Broadcast Committee and contributed to establishing the Novel Project Management Unit for the GJA, (PMU), with oversight over implementation of projects.

Caesar Abagali
Mr Caesar Abagali, a 47 year old married man, is currently the Regional Manager of the Ghana News Agency, Upper West Region. He also did practical internships with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation and Daily Graphic, Bolgatanga Office.

He has won the 2019 Best Journalist of the Year, Sanitation and Hygiene Category award of the GJA, 2017 Best Journalist of the Year, Sanitation and Hygiene Category (GJA), and 2010 Best Journalist of the Year, Child Rights Category (GJA).
He has a Master of Arts in Communication Studies from the University of Cape Coast, BA in Communication Studies from Ghana Institute of Journalism, Certificate in Communication Studies from Egyptian Institute of Mass Communication.

ORGANISING SECRETARY

Dominic Hlordzi

Dominic Hlordzi is an Editor-In-Chief/Manager with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC). With over two decades in the media, aside general reporting, he has served as Maritime/Port and Industrial Reporter and Parliamentary Correspondent for years.

Dominic was adjudged Best Radio News Journalist in Ghana for 2009, 2011 and 2012 as well as Best Radio Feature Journalist in 2016.

Mr. Hlordzi is the outgoing Chairman of Tema Regional Chapter of the GJA, having previously served as Secretary and Vice Chairman in the region.

He is a member of the International Relations Committee of the GJA and has coordinated several overseas training programmes for GJA and helped Journalists in the acquisition of their visas, passports and tickets.

He has been instrumental in the organisation of a number of training workshops for journalists across the country and is a founding member of the Ports Journalists Network, Media Coalition Against Open Defecation (M-CODe).

He is also the Chairman of the Tema District Oversight Committee of the National Governing Council of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).

Mary Mensah

Ms Mary Mensah is a Foreign and Supplement Editor of the Daily Graphic, the Flagship newspaper of the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) with 27 years-working experience in journalism.

She was a crime reporter for more than two decades, having covered 14 different Inspector Generals of Police (IGPs) and 12 Director Generals of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.

She also acted as the Regional and Metro page editor, News Editor and Deputy News Editor respectively of the Daily Graphic.

Ms Mensah holds a Diploma in Journalism from the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ), first Degree in Marketing from the Greenhill College, (GIMPA) and Master’s Degree in Media Management from the School of Graduate Studies and Research, (GIJ) in addition to a number of training courses in India, China, England and the Unites States.

She is the outgoing Public Affairs Officer of the GJA and currently contesting for an Organising Secretary of the Association. She is the Convener of the Association of Women in the Media (ASWIM). She is a family woman with three children, two girls and a boy.

Source: newsghana