THE Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has announced that it is setting up various committees to strengthen the Association.
A statement released by the Association today said the committees include an 11-member Constitution Review Committee that will be inaugurated on Wednesday.
Ambassador Kabral Blay-Amihere, a former President of the GJA and former Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC) is the honorary personality to inaugurate the Committees on, February 5, 2020, at the Ghana International Press Centre.
The Constitution Review Committee (CRC) is to be chaired by Samson Lardy Anyenini, a private legal practitioner and broadcaster.
Other members are Bright Blewu, member of the NMC; Tanko Musah, lecturer at the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) and lawyer; Edward Nana Asare of the Ghana News Agency (GNA) and lawyer; Georgina Naa-Maku Quaittoo, Editor of the Spectator, and Justice Mingle of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC).
The rest are A. B. Kafui Kanyi of the GNA and Volta Region Branch Chairman of the GJA; Caroline Boateng of the Daily Graphic and Chapter Chairperson of the Graphic Communications Group Limited; Regina Asamoah of Atinka Media Village; Thomas Adotei Pappoe of TV3, and Kofi Yeboah, General Secretary of the GJA.
The Committee has 30 days from the date of inauguration to complete its work subject to extension of tenure, the statement said.
The National Executive has also constituted a five-member Ethics & Disciplinary Council (EDC), pursuant to Article 42 of the GJA Constitution, under the chairmanship of Col (Retd) Mbawine Atintande, a media consultant and former Director of the Public Affairs Directorate of the Ghana Armed Forces.
The other members are Ellen Avorgbedor, veteran journalist and former Central Regional Director of the GBC; Ebo Quansah, veteran journalist and former Editor of the Ghanaian Chronicle; Nanabanyin Dadson, lecturer at the African University College of Communication and former Editor of Graphic Showbiz, and Osei Kwadwo, lecturer at the GIJ and lawyer.
The mandate of the Ethics & Disciplinary Council, which has Seth J. Bokpe of as non-member Secretary, includes the promotion of high ethical standards among members of the Association and the enforcement of the GJA Code of Ethics.
Pursuant to Article 30 of the GJA Constitution, the National Executive has also constituted specified committees for the effective administration of the Association.
They are the Membership Vetting Committee, Professional Development Committee, Social Affairs Committee, Finance & Resource Mobilisation Committee, and International Relations Committee.
The GJA Constitution mandates that all the specified committees must be composed of five members and chaired by a National Executive member.
The Membership Vetting Committee is chaired by Affail Monney, President of the GJA, and consists of Osei Frimpong of the GNA, A. C. Ohene of Adom FM / Adom TV, Rebecca Ekpe of the GBC and Emmanuel Akli, Editor of the Ghanaian Chronicle.
The mandate of the committee includes vetting applications for membership and streamlining the procedure for such applications.
The Professional Development Committee is chaired by Linda Asante-Agyei, Vice President of the GJA, and made up of Dr Anthony Bonnah-Koomson, media consultant; Dr Kweku Rockson, Dean of the School of Communication Studies (SCS) of Wisconsin International University College, Ghana (WIUC-GH); Dave Agbenu, Editor of Ghanaian Times, and Seth Kwame Boateng of the Multimedia Group.
The mandate of the committee includes the promotion of capacity-building and professional development of members of the Association.
The National Organising Secretary of the GJA, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, is the chairman for the Social Affairs Committee.
The other members are Mathias Tibu of the GIJ, Peter Agbeko of the Ghana Standards Authority, John Vigah of the Ghanaian Times and Nana Yaa Konadu of UTV.
The mandate of the committee includes managing social events and the welfare fund of the Association.
The International Relations Committee is chaired by the Public Affairs Officer of the GJA, Mary Mensah, and made up of Dominic Hlordzi of the GBC, Francis Ameyibor of the GNA, Kate Baaba Hudson of the Daily Graphic and Baisiwa Dowuona-Hammond of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The committee has a mandate to promote cordial relations between the GJA and its international partners, and also explore international opportunities for the professional development of members.
The National Treasurer of the GJA, Audrey Dekalu, is the chairperson for the Finance & Resource Mobilisation Committee.
The other members are Godwin Avenorgbo, media consultant; Gayheart Mensah of Vodafone Ghana Limited; Charles Benoni Okine of Graphic Business and Mabel Aku Baneseh of CREDICOMMS Ltd, a media consultancy organisation.
The mandate of the committee includes mobilization and management of resources for the activities of the Association.
Also, per Article 30, which mandates the National Executive to establish other committees apart from those specified in the GJA Constitution, for the benefit of members, a five-member Research Committee has been set up.
The objective is to use research as an underpinning for professional training of members, promotion of welfare of members and the development of the media in general.
The committee is chaired by Dr Anthony Bonnah-Koomson, media consultant, and includes Dr Kweku Rockson, Dean of the SCS of WIUC-GH; Dr. Etse Sikanku, lecturer at the GIJ; Dr Daniel Nkrumah, lecturer at the Pentecost University College, and Martin Segtub, lecturer at the University of Professional Studies, Accra