Ten journalists, including a Daily Graphic reporter, Abukari Alhassan Baba, have been honoured at the 2025 Northern Regional Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Awards held in Tamale.
Baba was adjudged Best Reporter in Tourism and Culture for his outstanding reportage in the specialised area.
The ceremony was held on the theme, “Empowering the Next Generation: The Role of the Media in Digital Skills, Innovation and Youth Opportunities.”
The overall Best Journalist for 2025 in the Northern Region was Abdul Wahab Yumzaa Yakubu of Zaa Multimedia, who also won Best Reporter in the Education and Health categories.
Awardees
Other awardees were Sulemana Alhassan Tarimbia of Zaa Multimedia, Shawana Yussif of Channel One TV for Gender reporting, and Solomon Gumah of the Ghana News Agency (GNA) who received the award for Climate Change and Environment reporting.
The rest are Mohammed Kamil Baba of Asase Radio for Peace and Conflict reporting, Christopher Amoako of TV3 for Energy and Electricity reporting, Ibrahim Tahid Pumaaya of Channel One TV for Regional Photo/Videographer and Eric Kombat of the Daily Guide Network for Disability reporting.
Also, Nadra Mohammed of TV3 won awards for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and Road Safety, as well as Female Regional Journalist. The awards also recognised Kasha FM and Radio Tamale for their contributions to community development.
Youth skills
Delivering the keynote address, the Chief Executive Officer of the Students Loan Trust Fund, Dr Saajida Shiraz, called for increased investment in youth skills development, innovation and equal opportunities to support economic growth.
She said countries that prioritised young people’s development were better positioned to remain competitive in the global economy.
She stressed the need to expand access to quality education and opportunities for young people to develop their talents. She also urged the award winners to use their achievements to contribute to their communities and the nation.
Entrepreneurship
Speaking on behalf of the Northern Regional Minister, Ali Adolf John, the Sagnarigu Municipal Chief Executive, Abdulai Imoro Gong, urged media organisations to highlight young innovators, entrepreneurs and businesses creating jobs and addressing community challenges.
He said digital skills could help young people access employment opportunities beyond their local communities.
“A young person in Tamale, Savelugu, Yendi, Bimbilla or a remote rural community should be able to acquire the skills needed to participate in the digital economy and compete for opportunities both locally and internationally,” he said.
He called for concerted efforts to ensure that geographical location, economic circumstances and limited access to technology did not restrict young people’s opportunities.
Professional standards
The Organising Secretary of the GJA, Sulemana Mustapha, urged journalists to uphold professional standards, go beyond reporting societal challenges and highlight issues that empower young people to participate in national development.
The Northern Regional GJA Chairman, Yakubu Abdul Majeed, appealed to media owners to improve journalists’ remuneration to motivate them to produce quality work and contribute to the development of the region.
