The Upper East Regional Correspondent of the Daily Graphic, Gilbert Azeem Tiroog, won two awards at the 5th Upper East Regional Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Awards held in Bolgatanga.
Mr Tiroog was adjudged Best Peace and Conflict-Sensitive Reporter of the Year and Best Mining and Natural Resources Reporter of the Year for the 2025 year under review.
The awards ceremony was held last Friday, in Bolgatanga, on the theme: “Beyond the Headlines: The Media’s Role in Promoting WASH for Safe Motherhood and Quality Health Care.”
Awards won
Mr Tiroog won the Peace and Conflict-Sensitive Reporting category with his story, “Dreams Buried by Bullets: How Bawku’s children are paying the price for recurring conflict.
The story highlighted the human cost of the protracted Bawku conflict, particularly its impact on children, their education, safety, well-being and aspirations, while underscoring the urgent need for sustainable peace.
In its citation, the GJA stated: “Your sensitive and compelling story gives prominence to the experiences of children whose education, safety, well-being and aspirations have been disrupted by the conflict.
Mr Tiroog’s second award came in the Mining and Natural Resources Reporting category for his story, “Forced into poverty: The woes of farmers amid growing illegal mining activities.”
In its citation, the GJA described the report as “demonstrating exceptional journalistic commitment to public-interest reporting by drawing attention to an important environmental and socio-economic challenge while giving visibility to communities whose livelihoods are under threat.”
Other award winners
Mr Moses Appiah of A1 Radio was adjudged the Overall Journalist of the Year after winning the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and Child Protection categories, while Ms Gladys Apuweni of GBC-URA Radio was named Female Journalist of the Year.
Other winners included Mark Smith of A1 Radio; Agriculture and Investigative categories; Peter Agengre of GBC; Education and Environment categories; Castro Senyalah of TV3; Security Reporting; and Nicholas Azebire of Dreamz FM, Disability Reporting.
Francis Dabang of the Ghanaian Times won Business and Finance Reporting; James Tsiquaye of Dreamz FM, Radio Documentary; Prosper Adankai of GBC-URA Radio; Tourism, Arts and Culture Reporting; Stephen Chidozie of Apex News; Health Reporting; while Salifu Afangya of Dreamz FM was adjudged Sports Journalist of the Year.
Sarah Teni Babohima won Gender Reporting, while David Azure of A1 Radio won Water and Sanitation Reporting and Most Promising Journalist of the Year. Caroline Abisiku was adjudged Student Journalist of the Year.
WASH reporting
The Upper East Regional Director of Health Services, Dr Braimah Baba Abubakari, in his keynote address said WASH was essential to quality health care and safe childbirth, noting that the region recorded a skilled delivery rate of 78.86 per cent in 2025, while maternal mortality increased from 97.1 to 132.43 deaths per 100,000 live births between 2024 and 2025.
The Upper East Regional Chairman of the GJA, Albert Sore, said journalists must move beyond reporting the commissioning of health facilities and government interventions to examining whether such interventions were improving lives.
He urged journalists to investigate the availability of running water, functional toilets and adequate sanitation and hygiene facilities at health facilities, particularly those providing maternal health care.
Mr Sore said the media should also document solutions and follow up on commitments made by duty-bearers.
Speaking on behalf of the Upper East Parliamentary Caucus, the Member of Parliament for Bongo, Charles Adongo Bawaduah, urged journalists to intensify reporting on the region’s WASH challenges and use their platforms to highlight the needs of deprived communities.
He particularly called on the media to investigate how the 10 per cent of the District Assemblies Common Fund allocated to WASH was being utilised, saying journalists should hold duty-bearers accountable and ensure the funds were used to provide water, toilets and other essential sanitation facilities for communities.
Sponsors
The 5th Upper East Regional GJA Awards were sponsored by Lesken Enterprise Limited, MyTurn Limited and KacStone Records as headline sponsors, with Paga Youth Movement and NorthLite Solar serving as main sponsors.
Category sponsors included ActionAid Ghana, Afrikids Ghana, NABOCADO, Endswell Pharmacy and MTN, while Alafia, WaterAid Ghana, Widows and Orphans Movement, Ghana Tourism Authority, Ghana Hotels Association–Upper East Region and AquaBolg Natural Water partnered the GJA to support the awards.
