It also congratulated the rest of the new national and regional executives on their victory in the GJA elections held on September 29, 2017.

“To all the other contestants in the keenly contested poll, we say well done for your spirited participation, which we view as a demonstration of members’ interest in the well-being of the Association.”

The EFG applauded the contestants in a release signed by Ms Ajoa Yeboah-Afari, the Chairperson of the Forum, and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Sunday.

It said: “We commend in particular Mr Monney for his conciliatory post-victory comments, and losing presidential aspirant Mr Lloyd Evans for graciously accepting the verdict of the ballot box.”

The release said: “However as Mr Monney himself has indicated, this election generated too many conflicts. The fact that some of the contestants had to go to court was a highly disturbing development in view of what the GJA stands for as the society’s watchdog, and the media being the ‘Fourth Estate of the Realm’.

“Nevertheless, the EFG believes that all of us have learned lessons from the recent happenings. Our expectation is that the new executives, both national and regional, will apply the lessons in order to foster unity, build on the GJA’s status in the society, and make it even more credible and formidable.”

The EFG is a group of editors, senior journalists and media educators. It is affiliated to the Ghana Journalists Association.

A peer review mechanism, working mostly behind the scenes, the EFG is an avenue to applaud and share best practice in the journalism profession. From time to time, the EFG organises public forums to discuss national or topical issues.