UE/R: SOCO PROJECT FACILITATORS URGED TO WORK HARD FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE PROJECT – DCE NABDAM
By – Prosper Adaakai
GBC URA Radio 89.7 FM has recorded a strong showing at the 5th Upper East Regional Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Awards, with its journalists and programme team earning recognition for excellence in journalism and public-interest broadcasting
The station’s Prosper Adankai won the Best Tourism, Arts and Culture Reporter award, recognising his work covering tourism, arts, culture and development issues in the Upper East Region
Mr. Adankai is a News Anchor and Morning Show Host at GBC URA Radio. He also hosts Our Lawyer and Youth Connect Agribusiness and produces Corporate View
The achievement adds to a strong showing by GBC, with Gladys Apuweni of GBC URA Radio winning the Female Journalist of the Year award
Peter Agengre of GBC also won awards in Education Reporting and Environmental Reporting, further highlighting the Corporation’s contribution to specialised and development-focused journalism.
The awards also recognised Jallaludeen Abdulai of CHRAJ, resident lawyer on GBC URA Radio’s Our Lawyer programme, with an honorary award.
An honorary award was also presented in memory of the late Raymond Wegwi, a former Head of the GBC Kasem Department who served as a Morning Show Host and Agribusiness programme host.
The recognition of GBC URA Radio personnel reflects the station’s continued focus on journalism that connects communities with information on issues affecting their lives and livelihoods.
From governance, law and accountability to agriculture, tourism, culture, environment and community development, programmes such as URA Sunrise, Our Lawyer, Corporate View and Youth Connect Agribusiness provide platforms for experts, policymakers, traditional leaders, civil society organisations and community members to engage on issues of public interest.
For GBC URA Radio, the awards represent a collective achievement for its journalists, presenters, producers, technical team and management.
The recognition reinforces the station’s commitment to its identity as “Your Partner in Development” and its role in using public-interest broadcasting to inform, educate and contribute to development in the Upper East Region
The 5th Upper East Regional GJA Awards were held under the theme, “Beyond the Headlines: The Media’s Role in Promoting WASH for Safe Motherhood and Quality Healthcare.”
The theme placed emphasis on the responsibility of journalists to move beyond routine reporting and sustain public attention on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) challenges, particularly those affecting maternal healthcare and the quality of health services
The theme was also aligned with WaterAid Ghana’s “Time to Deliver” campaign, which seeks to accelerate improvements in WASH services in healthcare facilities. WaterAid Ghana has supported the Upper East Regional GJA Awards through its SHARE Project.
GJA Chairman urges awardees to do more
Presenting his welcome address, the Upper East Regional GJA Chairman Albert Sore urged winners not to regard the honours as the destination of their professional journey
He encouraged awardees to see the recognition as an incentive to do more, maintain professional standards and continue producing journalism that serves the public interest
Mr. Sore has also stressed that support for the GJA Awards should be seen as an investment in quality journalism and the capacity of journalists to reach communities and report issues affecting them.
He acknowledged MyTurn Limited and Lesken Enterprise Limited as headline sponsors, with Kacstones Records and Paga Youth Movement as main sponsors. WaterAid Ghana was also a key partner, supporting the awards through its SHARE Project and linking the event to its Time to Deliver campaign. ActionAid Ghana was also listed among the sponsors/partners
The Guest Speaker, Upper East Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Briamah Baba Abubakari, urged journalists to take greater ownership of WASH issues
He encouraged the media to treat water, sanitation and hygiene as a sustained public-interest issue because of its direct implications for health and community wellbeing
His call complemented the central focus of the awards, which sought to encourage reporting that highlights WASH challenges, promotes public education and strengthens accountability around healthcare delivery
Partners support journalism excellence
The awards received support from a number of organisations and individuals committed to journalism and development in the Upper East Region
MyTurn Limited and Lesken Enterprise Limited served as the headline sponsors, while Kacstones Records and Paga Youth Movement were announced as main sponsors
WaterAid Ghana was also a key partner, having supported the regional awards over previous editions through its SHARE Project. ActionAid Ghana was also listed among the sponsors and partners supporting the 2026 edition
The sponsorship and partnerships provided support for the recognition of journalists whose work contributes to public discourse, accountability and development in the region
Source – gbcuraonline.com
