Managements of three companies on Tuesday presented cheques for 2,500 Ghana cedis each to the National Executive Committee of Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) towards the 13th edition of GJA Awards.

They were, Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB), Zoomlion Company Limited (ZL) and Accra Breweries Limited (ABL).

Mr Lawrence Adu-Mante, Chief Executive Officer of GCB said their cheque was for the Best Investigative Journalist of the Year. He commended members of GJA for consistently providing platform for the recognition of outstanding performance in journalism and assured them of the bank's continuous support.

Mr Adu-Mante noted that this year was a critical year in the country's development due to Election 2008 and business organizations and the public would count on journalists to play their professional role to ensure peace and stability before, during and after the polls. He appealed to journalists to remain objective, factual and fair in their reportage, but be critical on issues of national interest. Mrs Isabella Gyau-Orhin, Communications Director of ZL said their contribution was for the Best Feature Article of the Year.

She said ZL was a happy partner to GJA in rewarding excellence in journalism and appealed to the media to continue to support the company in its aggressive drive toward sanitation and environmental cleanliness. Ms Adjoba Kyiama, Legal and Corporate Affairs Director of Accra Brewery Ltd (ABL), said the company was happy to sponsor the Best Human Rights Reporter of the Year Award, explaining that Human Rights issues were at the core of the operations of the company in its sustainable development framework.

She also underscored the importance of the media and said business thrives in viable media environments and was optimistic the relationship between ABL and the media would grow stronger.

Mrs Yaa Oforiwaa Asare-Peasah, National Treasurer of GJA who received the cheques on behalf of the association, expressed appreciation to the managements for their gesture. Mr Ransford Tetteh, GJA President said the theme for this year's award was "Using the Media to Promote National Unity and Stability in an Election Year".

He explained that the theme was strategically chosen to show the media's commitment to a credible Election 2008.

"It is our hope that the theme would remind us constantly of the need to be rigidly professional in our work throughout the period of political campaigns, polling and even after Election 2008," he said. Mr Tetteh said delegations from International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and countries within the sub-region, particularly Togo, La Cote d'Ivoire and DR Congo had been invited to this year's award ceremony.

He announced that management of MTN had agreed to be title sponsor of the event scheduled for October 25, at the Banquet Hall.



Source: GNA