All is now set for members of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) in the Bono East, Bono and Ahafo Regions, who are in good standing to go to the polls to elect new Regional Executives to steer the affairs of the association.
Come this Sunday, October 3, 2021 members of the inky fraternity from the three regions will troop to the Electoral Commission’s regional office in Sunyani to cast their ballot to select new GJA regional executives.
With the exception of the Secretaryship position, the rest of the contestants are going unopposed which members would only be required to vote YES or NO on those contestants.
They are; the incumbent Regional Chairman, Larry Paa Kwesi Moses and Mrs. Regina Benneh-Siaw, who is vying for the Vice-chair position.
Nobody filed to contest the position of the treasurer, making the office vacant for now.
The only position which is being contested for by more than one person is the office of the Regional Secretary of the association, where Dennis Kwadwo Peprah, the incumbent, is being fiercely challenged by Daniel Yao Dayee, the Regional News Editor of the Daily Guide newspaper.
The Regional Chair, Larry Paa Kwesi Moses, who is going unopposed, in an interview with Modernghana News stated that “all is now set for the successful conduct of our long-awaited regional GJA elections.”
He noted that adequate preparations have been made to ensure the smooth conduct of the elections with a call on all members in good standing in the three regions to come out in their numbers to exercise their franchise.
“I can assure you of adequate security arrangements to take care of any eventuality. The EC is also on top of their work and they have told me everything is under control so I expect a very credible, peaceful and transparent election on the day.
“I call for civility before, during and after the polls. All aspirants should know that the association is bigger than any individual. There should be unity among all aspirants, no acrimonious or vicious campaign,” he said in an interview.
He continued, “the paid-up members should elect leaders who can fight and defend the rights of the Ghanaian media practitioner, but not people with questionable characters having their own agenda of becoming leaders.
“We must vote for people who will fight for the unionization of the association, investment, empowering the regional branches, training of journalists and the protection of journalists.”
Larry Paa Kwesi Moses wished all the regional aspirants the best of luck, indicating that whoever wins does so for the association and not for himself or herself.
Secretaryship position
Earlier in an interview, the incumbent Secretary who is seeking re-election, Dennis Kwadwo Peprah of the Ghana News Agency asked members to conduct themselves responsibly and vote for candidates who have the Association at heart.
“We have worked hard to make the association vibrant in the region as well as increase membership, we also for the first time successfully organised GJA Regional Awards here in Sunyani while efforts are underway to hold the second Awards ceremony”, he further said.
Mr. Peprah, who has about two decades of vast experience in journalism called on his compatriots to retain him come October 3, 2021 to enable him continue with his good works.
“I humbly ask members to vote for me so that I would work strenuously to make the journalist feel the presence and impact of the association at the local, regional and national levels,” he stated.
Daniel Dayee
His only contender, another senior journalist, Daniel Yao Dayee, believes that the time has come for him to take the supreme interest of members of the association to a higher level.
Mr. Dayee is positive that he would carry the day after the polls with an advice to voters to elect capable enough to move the association forward.
“I am going to win hands down because members are dissatisfied with the old ways of doing things. They need people like me to carry them along and not to lord positions over them.
“We need free and fair election. The election or voting should be held in accordance with the rules of engagement – transparency, fairness, involvement of agents of candidates are what we are all looking for. No attempt must be made to subdue the will of voters, no vote-buying. Let voters decide with their conscience”, he stated.
