First Oil and Gas reporting award at Ghana Journalists Association Annual Awards

Picture: Sylvanus Nana Kumi receiving award from Mr Emmanuel Kuyole RWI, Africa Director



Sylvanus Nana Kumi of the Ghana Business Guide emerged the first recipient of the prestigious Ghana Journalists Association "Oil and Gas reporting" award 2011. The award is sponsored by Revenue Watch Institute (RWI) through its Ghanaian partner Penplusbytes (PPB) under the "Strengthening Media Oversight of the Extractive Sectors Pilot Program".


The "Strengthening Media Oversight of the Extractive Sectors Pilot Program" is being run concurrently by RWI and its partners in both Ghana and Uganda with the objective to increase the quantity and quality of coverage of extractive-related issues in the print and broadcast media in Ghana and Uganda by developing mechanisms for media capacity building on extractive governance that are scalable and sustainable in these countries. Currently fifteen (15) journalists have already been trained under the programme with a second batch of fourteen (14) journalists expected to start in October 2011.

Mr Kumi who won the award with his a story "Before Ghana Pumps Oil" received a special plague from Mr Emmanuel Kuyole RWI, Africa Director at an impressive ceremony in Accra graced by the H.E. Vice President of Ghana, Mr. John Dramani Mahama.

The GJA awards which is in its 16th year, was instituted to promote high journalistic standards, as well as motivate members who have excelled in their work. This year's award was under the theme 'Giving Impetus to Democracy and Development: The Role of Investigative Journalism'. In all 35 awards were given to journalists and some media houses, while honorary awards were conferred on five individuals.