New national executives of the Ghana Journalists’ Association (GJA) were yesterday sworn into office to run the affairs of the inky fraternity for the next three years.
They would be led by Albert Kwabena Dwumfour who as the President, Linda Asante Agyei as Vice President, Kofi Yeboah as General Secretary, Dominic Hlordzi as Organizing Secretary, Audrey Dekalu as Treasurer and Rebecca Ekpe as Public Affairs Officer.
A justice of the Court of Appeal, Justice George Kingsley Koomson administered the oath of office to the new executives.
Albert Dwumfour was elected as President last week, beating Gayheart Mensah and Dave Agbenu who also competed in the Presidential race of the GJA.
He polled 233 votes, representing 41.91% to beat his opponents Gayheart Mensah, who garnered 181 votes, representing 32.55% while Dave Agbenu secured 142 votes, representing 25.54%.
In attendance at the swearing in ceremony were past GJA presidents, Gifty Afenyi Dadzie, Ajoa Yeboah Afari and Ransford Tetteh.
However, immediate past GJA President Affail Monney was conspicuously missing at the event.
Speaking after the swearing in, Mr Dwumfour said the safety of Ghanaian journalists will be made a priority under his leadership.
“I want to share some of my mission including journalists’ support fund. Journalists face many challenges in the course of their work sometimes these challenges are physical, other times psychological or emotional harm. So, we need a support regime for members.
“One of the key objects of the fund will be to offer legal services to journalists whose rights may be violated in line of duty. So, let me issue a note of warning to people who take unrighteous liberty to assault journalists that there is a new sheriff in town who will go to any length within the law to protect his populace”, he stated.
Suit
A GJA member, Justice Lee Adoboe had filed an injunction application to stop the swearing in ceremony.
He claimed there were bribery allegations leveled against Dwumfour prior to the election that should have been investigated before the elections were held.
However, the injunction was not served on the officials of the GJA on Wednesday, a day before the swearing-in of the newly elected executives.
Adoboe is praying the court to declare the election of Dwumfour as GJA President “null and void.”
