Political leaders, traditional authorities and corporate stakeholders in the Western Region have challenged journalists and businesses to play a more deliberate role in transforming the region, insisting that its vast natural and economic wealth must translate into tangible improvements in the lives of its people.
The call was made at the maiden Western Regional Media and Corporate Social Investment (CSI) Awards of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), held in Takoradi on Saturday under the theme: “Reporting Progress, Investing in People.”
The event brought together journalists, media executives, corporate institutions, political leaders, traditional authorities and other stakeholders to celebrate excellence in journalism while examining the role of corporate investment in regional development.
Damang Gold Mine Ltd was the headline sponsor, with Gold Fields Foundation, Global Ore, Ghana National Gas Company Ltd, KEDA Ghana (Twyford) Ceramics Company Ltd, GPHA-Takoradi, ECG and LOCOMS Company Ltd also supporting the event.
Media Must Hold Power Accountable
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, who was one of the speakers said the media had a critical role to play in ensuring that Ghana’s natural resources became a foundation for sustainable development.
He said Ghana’s gold, bauxite, manganese, lithium, forests, rivers and wetlands could only become a blessing through transparent and responsible governance.
Mr Buah challenged journalists to move beyond reporting statements from government, companies and other institutions and undertake deeper investigative and specialised reporting.
“The media is not merely a messenger,” he said, stressing the need for journalists to inform, educate, investigate and hold institutions and individuals accountable.
He called for greater investment in journalism specialising in mining, geology, environmental science, economics, law, finance and public policy, urging reporters to interrogate mining contracts, environmental assessments, production figures, royalties and licensing arrangements.
On illegal mining, Mr Buah said journalists must expose not only the environmental destruction but also the networks that facilitated the practice.
“Illegal mining is not simply an environmental issue. It is an economic, social, governance and national-security issue,” he said.
From Charity to Investment
The former Member of Parliament for Tarkwa-Nsuaem, George Mireku Duker, for his part challenged companies to rethink their approach to corporate social investment.
He said companies should measure CSI by the lasting impact of their interventions rather than the number of projects executed or the amount of money spent. “Investment is different from charity. Charity responds to an immediate need; investment seeks to create lasting value,” he said.
Mr Duker urged businesses to work with communities to identify priorities in education, healthcare, skills development and livelihoods.
He also challenged journalists to move beyond reporting cheque presentations and project inaugurations and instead follow up to determine whether projects were completed, beneficiaries were reached and the interventions continued to deliver value. “We must move from cheque-presentation journalism to impact-oriented journalism,” he said.
Western Region Must Claim Its Place
The Deputy Minister for Health and MP for Essikado-Ketan, Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah, urged journalists to put political differences aside and use their platforms to advance the development interests of the region.
She said although the Western Region remained a major contributor to Ghana’s economy, it continued to face significant infrastructure and human-development challenges. “Western Region needs to develop. Western Region must develop. Western Region must have its rightful place in Ghana,” she said.
Western Regional Minister, Joseph Nelson also urged businesses to regard themselves as partners in regional development, identifying education, healthcare, skills development, entrepreneurship, environmental sustainability and sanitation as areas requiring sustained investment.
Integrity
Chairman of the occasion and President of the Western Region House of Chiefs, Nana Kobina Nketsia V, warned journalists against misinformation, sensationalism and narratives capable of deepening social divisions. “The integrity of the journalist beats everything,” he said.
He urged journalists to scrutinise information carefully and tell Ghanaian and African stories with confidence while holding power accountable. Western Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ignitious Kwasi Afrifa, meanwhile pledged stronger engagement between the party and journalists as it prepares to communicate its policies ahead of the 2028 elections.
Awards
The awards attracted 88 submissions across nine categories, with Mining and Environmental Sustainability recording the highest number of entries with 24, followed by Infrastructure and Development with 14 and Education with 10.
Online journalism dominated with 47 entries, followed by television with 27, print with 10 and radio with five.
Among the award winners were Juliet Aguiar Dugbartey of the Business & Financial Times; Mildred Siabi-Mensah of the Ghana News Agency; Nana Esi Brew Monney of Space FM; Emmanuel Gamson of the GNA; Hajia Fati Karim of Empire FM/GHOne; Ebenezer Atiemo of Connect FM/TV3; Charles Egyir of UTV and Portia Nana Yaa Cudjoe of Connect 97.1 FM.
Four journalists were also honoured for distinguished service, while seven corporate institutions received awards for their contribution to development in the region.
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