16th Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Awards to include Oil and Gas Reporting

 

The annual GJA awards, has seen a major boost by the inclusion of an oil and gas sector award for both print and electronic media.

The Oil and Gas award under category two of the GJA awards is principally sponsored by Revenue Watch Institute (RWI) working with Penplusbytes (Ghana) as part of "Strengthening Media Oversight of the Extractive Sectors Pilot Program". The program hopes to holistically and intensively support participating journalists over the long term with the ultimate goal of stimulating effective and consistent coverage by the media of extractive resources and revenues, thereby contributing to their improved use for the public good in Africa.

Kwami Ahiabenu of Penplusbytes indicates that "good governance of oil, gas and mining (extractive) resources and revenues requires effective oversight and a knowledgeable and active media is critical to having an informed and engaged public, civil society and parliament that can hold government to account and we are working to ensure  journalists are equipped to play this role effectively "

The deadline for submission of entries is 5.00pm on Monday, May, 9 and entries should cover works published or broadcast from the period of January 1 2010 to December 31, 2010.

The winner of this category will be announced along the other categories at the prestigious GJA awards on August 20^th and will be presented with a lap-top computer, a special plaque and a certificate.

Commenting on the awards, Jackie Christie Revenue Watch Institute Project Manager said "increasingly reporters are attempting to cover the extractive sector as it becomes a larger part of the national debate and this must be encouraged.  This award will help showcase good reporting around extractive governance and help raise the benchmark for other journalists wanting to  specialise in oil and gas reporting this area"

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Editors Note

PENPLUSBYTES is a registered non profit since 18th July 2001 with the vision of driving excellence in ICT journalism.

GHANA JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION (GJA) founded in 1949 as the key professional umbrella organization representing Ghanaian Journalists.                                                                                                       

REVENUE WATCH INSTITUTE promotes the transparent and accountable management of oil, gas and mineral resources for the public good.