The President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, says journalists should approach the profession with a mindset of service and sacrifice, not just as a job.
According to him, real impact in journalism comes when practitioners invest in specialised skills, show dedication and push themselves beyond everyday assignments.
He spoke at the 2026 Ghana Media Soirée, an engagement forum put together by Ghana National Gas Company to bring the media up to speed on its work around gas production, energy supply, safety and environmental protection.
Mr. Dwumfour disclosed that he attended the programme despite not feeling well because he values the partnership between the GJA and Ghana Gas and believes the job itself calls for personal sacrifice.
He explained that recognising outstanding journalists through awards is about appreciating those who think outside the box and produce work that helps the country develop, and he praised Ghana Gas for committing resources to build the capacity of reporters at a time when the media landscape is being reshaped by digital technology.
He said such training fits into the core mandate of the GJA and the constitutional role of the press, adding that journalists cannot afford to remain static while new technologies and the spread of false information change how audiences consume news.
He pointed out that one of the biggest challenges facing Ghanaian media is that most reporters are generalists. He said moving from court to politics to health without deep understanding often results in flawed and sometimes ethically questionable reporting.
That, he noted, is why the Ghana Gas initiative to help reporters better understand the gas and energy sector is timely.
He encouraged those who benefitted from the training to make it count by improving their stories and by passing on what they learnt to colleagues in their newsrooms.
“Let the training we’ve had be seen in our work. Let it show in our reportage. Let it show in the discharge of our duty in serving the good people of this country,” he stated.
He also cautioned that support from corporate bodies should not water down editorial independence, urging journalists to continue scrutinising institutions, including those that fund professional programmes.
