As candidates jostle for votes, the campaign for various posts within the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) is becoming more intense.
Since Monday, almost all of the candidates have gone to the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) headquarters to pitch their ideas.
Albert Kwabena Dwumfuor and Gayheart Edem Mensah are running for president, as are Edmund Kofi Yeboah and Akwasi Agyeman for general secretary. Dominic Hlordzi is running for organising secretary against Mary Mensah of the Daily Graphic.
Dave Agbenu, the third candidate for president, was slated to visit the GCGL today as of the time this article was being written.
The post of public affairs officer is one that is very competitive. Caesar Abagali of the GBC and Rebecca Ekpe of the GBC. The candidates attempted to persuade media that they are the best options before association members head to the polls to choose new leaders on Friday, June 24, 2022.
Malek Gayheart
When awarded the presidential nod, Gayheart Mensah focused on the welfare, safety, and protection of journalists as part of his agenda.
He stressed that these three elements would assist boost the ratings of journalists on the job market and that they would help restore the respect and worth that is now accorded to them.
"Journalists' welfare, safety, and protection are aspects of professionalism and ethics. These are the three things that are now destroying our field of work.
As a professional organisation, we now have the chance and the duty to ensure that our ratings rise. I'm ready to do this, he declared.
When elected, he will also focus on problems like attracting new journalists to the association and preserving the credibility of the annual GJA awards.
Dwumfuor Albert
The association has to change now, according to Mr. Dwumfuor, so that it can move from its current reactive to proactive status.
He said that the GJA need a dynamic, forward-thinking leader who could speak truth to power.
By Kofi Yeboah
Prior to that, Edmund Kofi Yeboah, a candidate for the GJA's general secretary position, promised association members last Monday that he would continue to serve.