Peace FM’s Kwami Sefa Kayi is Journalist of the Year

Kwami Sefa Kayi, the Host of the Peace FM’s Morning Show, Kokrokoo, has been awarded the Professor PAV Ansah Best Journalist of the Year (2016) at the 22nd Edition of the Ghana Journalists Awards, held on Wednesday.

The experienced Presenter, Popularly known in media circles as “Chairman General” was recognised for using the media platform for the public good by arousing civic consciousness, discussing pressing national issues in an ethical environment, impacting the lives of many people through advocacy and championing neonatal health by acquiring incubators for health facilities and clinics to save the lives of new born babies delivered prematurely.

For his prize, he would receive a fully furnished three-bed room house to be located at GJA Village at Nsawam in the Eastern Region. KOANS Estates, the Lead Sponsor for this year’s event, is donating the facility. Ashfoam also provided some of its products for his use.

In his acceptance speech, Kwami Sefa Kayi, expressed appreciation to the GJA for the recognition of his efforts and said the Award would spur him on to work harder and ensure that his vision to acquire 100 incubators for health facilities became a reality.

Portia Gabor of TV3 was adjudged the Komla Dumor Most Promising Young Journalist of the Year. She also won the Best Television Reporter of the Year.

The Ghana News Agency’s (GNA) reporters -Kafui Kanyi and Godwill Arthur-Mensah won awards for reporting on Child Protection and Participation; and the Fight against Illegal Mining, also known as ‘‘galamsey’’ respectively.

Other award winners are; Samuel Kyei-Boateng of Daily Graphic, who won the Best Reporter for Print, John Vigah of Ghanaian Times - the Best Sports Reporter, Benedict Owusu of Joy FM - Best Sports Reporter for Radio and Seth J. Bokpe of the Daily Graphic - Best Feature Reporter for print.

Under the media houses category, the GNA picked two awards: Best-Online Reporting - Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and Best Online Reporting- Political News.

Peace FM’s Morning Show, Kokrokoo, won the Best Radio Morning Show Programme of the Year; TV3’s Morning Show, New Day, won the Best Television Morning Show Programme of the Year; Citi FM’s Morning Show Programme won the Best Talk Show; MetroTV’s Good Evening Ghana, won the Best TV Show, while GTV’s Talking Point won the Best Programme on Democracy and Peace Building.

The Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin was the Special Guest of honour at the prestigious ceremony, held under the theme: “Safe Mining and Environmental Protection: The Role of the Media”.

Nana Kwasi Gyan -Apenteng, the Chairman of the National Media Commission, chaired the ceremony, while Mrs Ursula Owusu Ekuful, the Minister of Communications, represented President Nana Addo Dankwa-Akufo Addo.

Mr Roland Affail Monney, the GJA President, commended Ghanaian journalists for the exceptional roles they played in ensuring successful general election in 2016.

He said the media exhibited the best electoral journalism with reportorial skills, editorial craftsmanship, analytical power and professionalism, which contributed immensely to credible polls.

Osagyefuo Amoatia, who is also the President of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area, said those who were still engaging in illegal small-scale mining should be arrested and prosecuted without fear or favour in order to serve as a deterrent to others.

He expressed concern about the devastation of the environment, saying; ’’I worry about the future of our children, I worry about the diseases coming to our lives because of our actions, I worry about what type of country we’re going to leave behind for our children’’.

He, therefore, called for sustainable development to provide for the needs of the present while safeguarding the interests of future generations.