The Managing Editor of The Custodian newspaper, Awudu Mahama, has been appointed to serve on the nine-member Selection Committee for the 30th Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Media Awards.
His appointment places an experienced newsroom leader and long-serving parliamentary correspondent at the centre of the process of determining journalists and media practitioners whose work will be recognised at the prestigious awards.
The committee is chaired by Kobby Asmah, Commissioner of the National Media Commission and former Editor of the Daily Graphic.
Other members are A.C. Ohene, Senior Editor in charge of Special Assignment at Adom FM/TV; Richard Mensah, Editor of Citi FM/TV; former Ghana Broadcasting Corporation Central Regional Director, Ellen Avorgbedor; former Ghana News Agency Senior Editor and Head of Economics and Financial Desk, Christian Akorli; Senior Photojournalist at the Information Services Department, Nana Kwasi Appiah; Editor of the Spectator, Georgina Naa-Maku Quaittoo; and former Deputy Managing Director of Atinka Media Village, Kingsley Nsiah-Poku.
Mr Mahama brings considerable newsroom and parliamentary reporting experience to the committee.
He has served as Managing Editor of The Custodian and continues to play an active role in editorial decision-making and public affairs journalism. His work has also seen him engage extensively with issues of governance, Parliament, public policy and national development.
His long association with parliamentary journalism was recognised in December 2025 when Parliament presented him with a Long Service Award for his contribution as a Parliamentary Correspondent.
That experience is expected to be particularly relevant to the Awards Committee, which must assess competing journalistic works across different platforms and disciplines while maintaining professional standards and consistency.
Mr Mahama has also demonstrated an editorial approach that engages directly with major national issues. His published commentaries and media engagements have covered governance, accountability, public policy, security and economic matters, reflecting the breadth of issues confronting contemporary newsrooms.
The assignment comes at a significant moment for the GJA Media Awards, which this year celebrates its 30th edition.
The committee will have to assess a wide range of submissions from journalists working across print, radio, television and online platforms, making professional judgement and consistency critical to the selection process.
Two new categories have also been introduced: the Best Digital and New Media Platform Award and the Bank of Ghana Governor’s Economic and Financial Story of the Year Award, adding new dimensions to the assessment exercise.
The scale and diversity of the submissions will therefore require committee members to exercise sound professional judgement in distinguishing originality, accuracy, relevance, investigative depth, ethical standards, public interest and impact.
For Mr Mahama, his newsroom experience and years of covering Parliament are expected to bring an additional layer of scrutiny and assertiveness to the deliberations, particularly in assessing whether entries meet the standards expected of journalism worthy of national recognition.
The GJA has emphasised that the work of the committee is central to the credibility and integrity of the Awards.
Members have been urged to approach the exercise with fairness, independence, transparency and professionalism. The committee is expected to conduct a thorough and independent review of the entries before submitting its recommendations to the GJA National Executive.
The committee is expected to complete its assessment and submit its final report ahead of the awards ceremony scheduled for November 7, 2026, in Accra.
The 30th GJA Media Awards will be held under the theme, “30th GJA Media Awards: Celebrating Excellence, Advancing Media Freedom and Combating Hate Speech in the Digital Age.”
By: Christian Kpesseseh/newsalertgh.com
