The West Africa Journalist of the Year 2020 is freelance journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni for his rousing reporting on waste of state funds and how it impacts on the ordinary people of Ghana.

His story, titled Grounded Wheels is an exposé on a hundred vehicles imported with public funds to help in critical areas of public service, left to rot for about 20 years due to flawed public procurement processes and incredible bureaucracy.

West Africa Journalist of the Year, Manasseh Azure Awuni holding his dummy check

“I am really honoured. I thank the organizers and hope that this will spur me on to keep doing the best that I can in my profession.  Awuni said in his acceptance speech.

This is the second time he has picked the coveted award. In 2018, he won with an anti-corruption story titled “Robbing the Assemblies”.

Awuni was one of the 20 finalists selected by a jury for outstanding and impactful reporting out of 740 entries from across the sub region. 

Cross section of some of the winners and finalists

The West Africa Media Excellence Awards honors exemplary work, in-depth investigations and exceptional storytelling. The Media Foundation of West Africa (MFWA) organisers of the awards invited about a 100 guests with all COVID-19 protocols observed to participate in the ceremony which climaxed WAMECA 2020.

Executive Director of the MFWA, Sulemana Braimah in his welcome address hoped “WAMECA awards will continue to inspire and motivate winners and at the same time inspire others to do more.”

 

Special Guest for the awards ceremony, UNESCO Country Representative to Ghana, Abdourahamane Diallo in his remarks said “while freedom of expression is encouraged, we also need to be responsible and culturally sensitive but let the truth out to inform society. Together I believe we will get journalism in Africa to the level we all want it to be in the future if we all play our parts in ensuring a safe society to practice the profession”

This year’s WAMECA which was a two-day event under the theme “The Future of Journalism in Africa” opened with a conference which featured renowned speakers from across Africa, who provided insights on key issues surrounding media and the future of journalism on the continent.

A panel-style discussion centred on three topics; Navigating Crisis: The Impact of COVID-19 on the Media in Africa, The Future of Journalism in Africa and Digitisation without Monetisation: Tech and Media Sustainability in Africa.

A panel at the conference discussing the Future of Journalism in Africa

The event was supported by The United States Embassy in Ghana, MTN Ghana, Stanbic Bank Ghana and Osiwa.

Here are the full lists of winners:

Category :West Africa Journalist of the Year

Winner: Manasseh Azure Awuni

Media House: Freelance

Country:  Ghana

 

Category: Investigative Reporting

Winner: ‘Fisayo Soyombo

Media House: The Cable/ICIR

Country:  Nigeria

 

Category: Environmental Reporting

Winner: Olatunji Ololade

Media House: The Nation Newspaper

Country:  Nigeria

 

Category: Anti-Corruption Reporting

Winner: Manasseh Azure Awuni

Media House: Freelance

Country:  Ghana

 

Category: Health  Reporting

Winner: Moussa Ngom

Media House : La Maison Des Reporters

Country:  Senegal

 

Category: ICT Reporting

Winner: Innocent Duru

Media House: Vintage Press Limited (Publishers of The Nation Newspaper)

Country:  Nigeria

 

Category: Business and SME Reporting   

Winner: Kelechukwu Iruoma

Media House: Ripples Nigeria

Country:  Nigeria

 

Category: Human Rights Reporting

Winner: Funke Busari

Media House: PREMIUM TIMES

Country:  Nigeria