 has announced plans to reintroduce the Best Maritime News Reporter category at the 2026 GJA Awards.){kind=link}
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has announced plans to reintroduce the Best Maritime News Reporter category at the 2026 GJA Awards.
President of the Association, Albert Kwabena Dwumfuor, disclosed this during the 2025 Training for Journalists and Media Practitioners on Maritime Security, Safety, and the Blue Economy in the Gulf of Guinea held in Accra.
According to him, the award category, which previously recognized excellence in maritime journalism, was scrapped some years ago due to sponsorship challenges and restructuring of the awards scheme.
Mr. Dwumfuor noted that the decision to revive the category reflects the GJA’s recognition of the critical role of the maritime sector in Ghana’s economy.
“The maritime industry is a vital pillar of our national development, and it deserves strong media attention. Reviving this award will not only celebrate excellence but also encourage more journalists to tell the stories of our oceans, ports, and coastal communities,” he said.
He further revealed that lack of interest and the limited number of maritime-related stories submitted by journalists also contributed to the category’s suspension. However, with renewed assurances of support from key industry stakeholders, including the Office of the Chief of Naval Staff, the GJA believes the time is right to bring it back.
The GJA president therefore appealed to corporate organizations and maritime stakeholders to partner with the Association in sustaining the award category, stressing that such support would motivate journalists to deepen coverage of maritime issues, highlight opportunities in the blue economy, and expose challenges affecting the sector.
The three-day training programme, which began on 7 October 2025 and ends on 9 October 2025, is being organized by the Enhanced Maritime Action in the Gulf of Guinea (EnMar) in collaboration with the Gulf of Guinea Maritime Institute (GoGMI).
END/ATINKANEWS