For the first time in 29 years, this year’s Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Awards ceremony will be held in Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti Region.

The President of the GJA, Albert Kwabena Dwumfuor, said the national executive of the GJA, in consultation with key stakeholders, would for the first time hold the national awards in the Ashanti Regional capital.

“By the grace of God, we also have the assurance, commitment and support of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, who has accepted to host the grand event at the Manhyia Palace”, he stressed.

“You see, I can tell you on authority that we are bringing the national GJA awards ceremony to Kumasi to reward deserving journalists and media practitioners across the country”, he mentioned.

He noted that the leadership would meet President John Dramani Mahama, who is also a GJA member, to have a discussion, saying: “I am optimistic that after the meeting, he will accept to grace this year’s awards event in Kumasi”.

Swearing in

Mr Dwumfuor disclosed this when he swore in the Ashanti Regional leadership of the GJA at the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) conference room in Kumasi last Thursday, September 4, 2025.

The swearing in of the regional GJA executive was suspended following a petition filed by Georgina Ama Ankomah, a contender in the chairmanship position who challenged the outcome of the June 30 election.

Subsequently, a rerun was ordered by the GJA Elections Dispute Adjudication Committee after the chairmanship results were annulled due to irregularities, including a breach of the association’s constitutional provisions and issues of voter eligibility.

At the end of the rerun held on August 22, 2025, Kofi Adu Domfeh of Multimedia Group Limited was elected Ashanti Regional Chairman after beating his only contender, Georgina Ama Ankomah, who polled 11 votes.

Other elected members of the regional leadership are Nicholas Osei-Wusu of GBC, Vice-Chairperson; Beatrice Spio Gabbrah of Media General, General Secretary, and Dr Neta Kris Abiana Pasram, Treasurer.

Mr Dwumfuor expressed concern that although the region is the second largest region in the country, the regional GJA did not have a permanent office, saying “as we speak, out of the 12 regions running effectively under the GJA, six have their own offices excluding Ashanti Region”.

Therefore, he charged the new leadership to leave a lasting legacy by ensuring that they establish an office by the end of their tenure and said, “If you cannot do anything at all, ensure that you secure a permanent office for the association”.

Further, he was worried that a parcel of land donated to the regional leadership some years ago had been taken over and therefore entreated the regional leadership to take the necessary steps to repossess the land.

Sense of responsibility

In his inaugural speech, Mr Domfeh said the new leadership had accepted the new mantle with a deep sense of responsibility guided by the conviction that journalism is not merely a profession but a public trust.

He paid glowing tribute to the immediate past leadership of the association, whose dedication laid the foundation for the new executives and said one of their priorities would be tailored towards expanding the membership base.

He said a stronger membership base meant a stronger voice and pledged to build a more inclusive and vibrant association, saying “we will prioritise continuous training, mentorship and knowledge sharing efforts to equip members with the tools to uphold the highest standards of truth, accuracy and fairness”.

He said: "I envision a future where bloggers and digital content creators would be guided by the GJA and incorporated into the broader media ecosystem".