Accra– From March-July 2022 the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Ghana hosted the country’s first Reporting Migration Journalism Competition launched in several West and Central African countries. The competition aimed to foster quality reporting on migration related issues and concluded with the Reporting Migration Awards Ceremony held on 12 August 2022 at the Lancaster hotel in Accra. Those in attendance included Mr. Emmanuel Soubiran, Programme Officer, European Union Delegation to Ghana; Ms. Hannah Sinnibah Tiigah, Assistant Director and Ms. Augustina Abdulai Akapamec, Assistant Director, Diaspora Affairs Unit, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration; among others.

The competition was open to Ghanaian journalists aged 18 and over who published migration related work between 2017-2022. Fifteen submissions were received in total, categorized into either print and online articles or television and radio materials. At the event, six Ghanaian journalists were recognized for their excellence in reporting migration related issues with themes including: reintegration, climate change and migration, migrant protection, and raising awareness on safe migration.

The competition jury was made up of a selected group of esteemed media professionals and migration specialists. Based on competition criteria, jury members reviewed all entries and selected the top three in each of the two categories. In the print and online category, first place was awarded to Jamila Akweley Okertchiri, for her article “Environmental Migration: Built On Hope. 'How the Ghanaian metropolis Accra is tackling the double effect of climate change and the increasing numbers of newcomers seeking to make a living in the city’.” Receiving second place was Jonathan Donkor, for his work “Making the 'Greener Pastures' Safe for Labour Migration,” and third place was Zadok Kwame Gyesi, his article titled “Bridging Inequalities to Manage Rural-Urban Migration in Ghana; a Key Step”.

In the category of television and radio, first place was awarded to Fred Duhoe, for his video “Slipping Through Ghana's Closed Borders.” Receiving second place was Justice Baidoo, his video titled “Accra's Child Beggars” and third place was awarded to Prince Appiah, for his entry “Climate Change Impact: Only Source of Water Dries-out as Residents Struggle.” The journalists were competing for a share of $4000 USD, with first place in each category receiving $1000, second place $650, and third place $350.

Representing IOM Ghana’s Chief of Mission, Ms. Pooja Bhalla, Project Manager, spoke about the importance of supporting journalists who bring stories of migration into the media spotlight. “Media coverage can contribute immensely to awareness raising activities informing returning migrants, communities of origin and the public about the dangers and alternatives to irregular migration. Despite this, attention afforded to migration issues by most media networks and journalists is small when compared with that which is given to other segments,” said Ms. Bhalla. She went on to congratulate the winning journalists and expressed IOM’s hopes for their future, “We hope that they will take this torch forward, reporting accurately and with the sensitivity required for this complex thematic. And of course, encourage citizens to migrate in a safe and orderly manner.”

For more information, please contact Randi-Lyn Miller, Public Information Officer, IOM Ghana, at ramiller@iom.int.