Owusu-Addo declared GJA President

Accra, Aug. 27, GNA - Mr Yaw Owusu-Addo, Director of Radio of Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) was on Wednesday declared President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA).

The declaration was made by a three-member ad-hoc committee, which upheld a petition filed by Mr Owusu-Addo asking for the declaration of the election as null and void.

The Committee was appointed by the GJA to determine the eligibility or otherwise of the candidacy of Mr Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh, Editor of Graphic, who won the election, held on August 21.

Mr Owusu-Addo in his petition held that at the time Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh filed his nomination papers on July 31, he was not a fully paid up member as the rules demanded.

Owusu-Addo says will be GJA president for only six months

Accra, Aug. 27, GNA - Mr Yaw Owusu-Addo, who was declared President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) by an ad-hoc committee of the Association said on Wednesday that he would be in office for only six months instead of the full two-year term.

He told a press conference at the Ghana International Press Centre in Accra that he proposed that he would be in office for exactly 180 days and "not a single minute more".

"My administration shall be in the nature of a caretaker to allow time for reorganisation of the association and the holding of legitimate presidential election within the said six months."

He said he would not run in the new election. The GJA set up a three-member ad-hoc committee to determine the eligibility or otherwise of Mr Yaw Boadu-Ayebofoh, Editor of the Graphic, who won the election on August 21, but who, Mr Owusu-Addo contended, was not a fully paid-up member of the Association at the time he filed his nomination papers.

The committee, chaired by Mr Yonnie Kolendi, a lawyer, upheld the petition of Mr Owusu-Addo that since Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh was not a fully paid up member, there was only one person, who should be returned unopposed.

Mr Owusu-Addo said the events since the election on August 21 and verdict of the committee were significant for the future of the GJA. "The next step we take from this moment on is going to determine our survival as a unified strong Fourth Estate of the realm or the disoriented group of journalists with no moral or legal authority to call anyone to attention in this country. I urge you all to stick together with me to take the right first step forward."

Mr Owusu-Addo said the GJA needed to clean up the electoral roll and establish clearly once and for all, the criteria by which awards are made.

"We also need to build bridges to bring all our membership together. I urge all members of the Association to remain calm and hold me to my word, while we consolidate the gains of the Association so far."

The other members of the ad-hoc committee were Mrs Bernadette Chinery-Hesse, Administrative Manager of GNA, who is also a lawyer and Mr K. Arhin, Director of Elections (Operations) at the Electoral Commission.

The ad-hoc committee, which met on Tuesday, heard Mr. Owusu-Addo, Mr Bright Blewu, General Secretary of the GJA, Ms Yaa Acquah, Treasurer of the GJA and Mr Mawusi Afele, the GJA Elections Officer. Mr Boadu-Ayboafoh could not attend the hearing because he was engaged. He sent a letter to the committee that said he would abide by any decision it took.

Giving reasons for their decision, Mr Yonny Kulendi, Chairman of the Committee, said in the eye of the GJA Constitution, Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh's candidature was null and void because at the close of filling of nomination for the election he was not a paid up member of the Association.

"It is difficult to absolve him of his failure to honour his obligation by paying his dues as an Association member largely because one cannot shift the responsibility of payment of his membership dues to a third party."

Mr Kulendi said having sat and heard the various parties involved in the election process, it was clear that sufficient notice was given to all members to honour and settle their arrears before nomination and voting.

"Therefore any member who refused in spite of the persistent reminder should find himself or herself to be blamed."

He said the testimonies of Mr Mawusi Afele, the Electoral Officer, Ms Yaa Acquah, the Association's Treasurer and Mr Bright Blewu; the Association's General Secretary clearly indicated that they could not be held in any way for Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh not settling his dues.

Mr Kulendi said Mr Owusu-Addo stuck to his evidence when he appeared before the Committee but Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh wrote to the Committee saying he could not appear because of circumstances beyond his control.

He, however, indicated that he would trust and respect the verdict of the Committee he knew was competent.

Mr Kulendi described the committee's work as an odious one due to the tension and anxiety.

He the rules of the GJA never anticipated such an issue to arise, which explained why the Association had to create its own way of resolving the matter.

Mr Owusu-Addo told a press conference that he would be in office for only six months instead of the full two-year term. He said he proposed that he would be in office for exactly 180 days and "not a single minute more".

"My administration shall be in the nature of a caretaker to allow time for reorganisation of the association and the holding of legitimate presidential election within the said six months."

He said he would not run in the new election.

Mr Owusu-Addo said the events since the election on August 21 and verdict of the committee were significant for the future of the GJA. "The next step we take from this moment on is going to determine our survival as a unified strong Fourth Estate of the realm or the disoriented group of journalists with no moral or legal authority to call anyone to attention in this country. I urge you all to stick together with me to take the right first step forward."

Mr Owusu-Addo said the GJA needed to clean up the electoral roll and establish clearly once and for all, the criteria by which awards are made.

"We also need to build bridges to bring all our membership together. I urge all members of the Association to remain calm and hold me to my word, while we consolidate the gains of the Association so far."

The other members of the ad-hoc committee were Mrs Bernadette Chinery-Hesse, Administrative Manager of the GNA, who is also a lawyer and Mr K. Arhin, Director of Elections (Operations) at the Electoral Commission.

The ad-hoc committee, which met on Tuesday, heard Mr. Owusu-Addo, Mr Bright Blewu, General Secretary of the GJA, Ms Yaa Acquah, Treasurer of the GJA and Mr Mawusi Afele, the GJA Elections Officer.