Multimedia’s Erastus Asare Donkor wins 2022 Journalist of the Year

Mr. Erastus Asare Donkor, a journalist with the Multimedia Group Ghana, has been adjudged the 2022 Journalist of the Year.

Mr. Donkor won the best reporter award in the illegal mining category with his documentary “Destruction for Gold,” before going on to win the ultimate prize.

Neta Kris Abiana Parsram, also with the Multimedia Group, emerged the Komla Dumor Most Promising Journalist, while Collincia Ayifa, a student of the University of Cape Coast, won the newly introduced Student Journalist of the Year award.

Francesca Enchill, a freelancer at the Multimedia Group Ghana, won the Female Journalist of the Year award, and Anthony Adongo Apubeo of the Ghana News Agency won the Best Education Reporter award.

Mr. Albert Kofi Dwumfour, President of the Ghana Journalists Association, said the awards were to celebrate professional excellence and reward journalists for their work.

He condemned attacks on journalists, saying the Association would “fight back” against such attacks by instituting legal action.

“We encourage the media fraternity never to be intimidated by attacks on media freedom; rather, they should be encouraged by our overriding duty to serve the public interest at all times,” Mr. Dwumfour said.

“Our profession is not for timorous souls, and nothing whatsoever should convert us into such weaklings.”

Mr. Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, Minister for Information, said the reason for the perpetuation of attacks on journalists was that the culprits were not punished enough. He said his office would work with the relevant state institutions, such as the police and the judiciary, to stop such attacks.

Mr. Oppong-Nkrumah added that his Ministry was developing a national plan of action to combat misinformation and disinformation.

He also said that the Ministry would continue to build the capacity of journalists in their work to enhance media professionalism.

Below is the list of all winners:

1.Anthony Adongo Apubeo (GNA) – Education

Beatrice Senadju (GBC) – Health Della Russel Ocloo

(Daily Graphic) – Agric & food security

Vivian Adu (Atinka Media) – Gender

Newsfile (Joy fm) – Radio Programme (English)

Fred Duhoe (CitiTV) – News (Television)

Akua Oforiwa Darko (GBC) – Environment & Science

Gifty Adjei (GBC) – Features (TV)

Alberto Mario Noretti (The Mirror) – News (Print)

Seth Bokpe (The Fourth Estate) – Democracy and Good Governance

Emma Davies (MultiMedia Group) – Business/economics

Mohammed Fugu (Daily Graphic) – Domestic Tourism

Kweku Bolton (GBC) – Arts & entertainment

Francisca Enchill (Joynews, Freelance) – Investigative Journalist

Edward Adeti (The Fourth Estate/Media without Borders) – Crime/court

Erastus Asare Donkor (Multimedia Group) – Illegal Mining (TV)

Emmanuel Dzivenu (Joy Prime) – Disability

Eric Mensah-Ayettey (Myjoyonline) – Columnist

Efia Akese (The Mirror) – Features (Print)

Kester Aburam Korankye (Daily Graphic) – Road safety Daily Graphic – Newspaper layout

Efisem (Atinka Media) – Radio Programme (Gh Language)

Ridwan Karim Dini-Osman (EIB network) – Feature (Radio)

Felix Dela Klutse (Pent Media Centre) – Features (online)

Neta Kris Abiana Parsram (Multimedia Group) – Most promising journalist

Doreen Ampofo (GBC) – Documentary (Radio) Godwin Asediba (Media General) – Documentary (TV)

Collincia Ayifa (via Multimedia Group) – Student journalist

(UCC) Critical Issues – UTV (TV Programme, Gh Language)

Ghana Tonight – TV3 (TV Programme, English)

Four categories failed to produce winners. They are sports, news online category, news radio category and photojournalism.