The United Kingdom Deputy High Commissioner to Ghana, Chris Halliday, says ethical journalism remains the foundation for strong and resilient democracies.
Speaking at the launch of the 30th Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Media Awards and inauguration of the Awards Committee at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City on Tuesday, October 7, 2026, Mr. Halliday reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to supporting free and independent media in Ghana.
“Thirty years of recognising and celebrating excellence in journalism is a remarkable achievement. It speaks not only to the longevity of these awards, but to the important role journalism continues to play in Ghana’s democracy, development and public life,” he said.
The launch marks a significant milestone. The official theme for the 30th edition is “30th GJA Media Awards: Celebrating Excellence, Advancing Media Freedom and Combating Hate Speech in the Digital Age.” The awards ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, November 7, 2026, in Accra, with President John Dramani Mahama, who is also a GJA member, as Special Guest of Honour, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II as Patron, and Ga Mantse King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II as Guest of Honour and chairman of the Awards ceremony.
Mr. Halliday praised Ghana’s vibrant public debate as a real strength, noting it only works because journalists are committed to getting facts right and helping citizens distinguish truth from noise.
He warned that while AI creates opportunities, misinformation, disinformation and foreign information manipulation spread at extraordinary speed, making trusted journalism more important.
The British High Commission and Netherlands Embassy earlier this year convened journalists, fact-checkers, regulators and academics on information resilience, concluding that public trust requires strong partnerships, strong institutions and strong journalism.
GJA President Albert Dwumfour announced 327 entries from 206 journalists – 125 online, 111 TV, 46 print and 45 radio – one of the highest in recent years.
By Robert Dela Mawuenyegah
