The West Africa Journalist of the Year 2020 is freelance journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni for his rousing reporting on waste of state funds and how it impacts on the ordinary people of Ghana.
His story, titled Grounded Wheels is an exposé on a hundred vehicles imported with public funds to help in critical areas of public service, left to rot for about 20 years due to flawed public procurement processes and incredible bureaucracy.
“I am really honoured. I thank the organizers and hope that this will spur me on to keep doing the best that I can in my profession. Awuni said in his acceptance speech.
This is the second time he has picked the coveted award. In 2018, he won with an anti-corruption story titled “Robbing the Assemblies”.
Awuni was one of the 20 finalists selected by a jury for outstanding and impactful reporting out of 740 entries from across the sub region.
The West Africa Media Excellence Awards honors exemplary work, in-depth investigations and exceptional storytelling. The Media Foundation of West Africa (MFWA) organisers of the awards invited about a 100 guests with all COVID-19 protocols observed to participate in the ceremony which climaxed WAMECA 2020.
Executive Director of the MFWA, Sulemana Braimah in his welcome address hoped “WAMECA awards will continue to inspire and motivate winners and at the same time inspire others to do more.”
Special Guest for the awards ceremony, UNESCO Country Representative to Ghana, Abdourahamane Diallo in his remarks said “while freedom of expression is encouraged, we also need to be responsible and culturally sensitive but let the truth out to inform society. Together I believe we will get journalism in Africa to the level we all want it to be in the future if we all play our parts in ensuring a safe society to practice the profession”
This year’s WAMECA which was a two-day event under the theme “The Future of Journalism in Africa” opened with a conference which featured renowned speakers from across Africa, who provided insights on key issues surrounding media and the future of journalism on the continent.
A panel-style discussion centred on three topics; Navigating Crisis: The Impact of COVID-19 on the Media in Africa, The Future of Journalism in Africa and Digitisation without Monetisation: Tech and Media Sustainability in Africa.
The event was supported by The United States Embassy in Ghana, MTN Ghana, Stanbic Bank Ghana and Osiwa.
Here are the full lists of winners:
Category :West Africa Journalist of the Year
Winner: Manasseh Azure Awuni
Media House: Freelance
Country: Ghana
Category: Investigative Reporting
Winner: ‘Fisayo Soyombo
Media House: The Cable/ICIR
Country: Nigeria
Category: Environmental Reporting
Winner: Olatunji Ololade
Media House: The Nation Newspaper
Country: Nigeria
Category: Anti-Corruption Reporting
Winner: Manasseh Azure Awuni
Media House: Freelance
Country: Ghana
Category: Health Reporting
Winner: Moussa Ngom
Media House : La Maison Des Reporters
Country: Senegal
Category: ICT Reporting
Winner: Innocent Duru
Media House: Vintage Press Limited (Publishers of The Nation Newspaper)
Country: Nigeria
Category: Business and SME Reporting
Winner: Kelechukwu Iruoma
Media House: Ripples Nigeria
Country: Nigeria
Category: Human Rights Reporting
Winner: Funke Busari
Media House: PREMIUM TIMES
Country: Nigeria