Countrywise Communication Launches Harmattan Journalism Award

Executive Dir. Countrywise Communication

Countrywise Communication, a nongovernmental organization based in Tamale has unveiled a new journalism award scheme for practicing journalists in the three regions of the North.

The much anticipated award christened “The Harmattan Award for Development Journalists” will now fill the prolong award drought that had existence for nearly a decade following the ‘demise’ of the onetime Flip Africa Media Awards.

There are dozens of practicing journalists in Northern Ghana whose hard work over the years has contributed to the socio-economic development of the area and its people. But sadly, many of these journalists who have been practicing for a decade and more, have never been recognised or honoured for the positive roles they have played towards the socio-economic development of Northern Ghana. 

So with the institution of the Harmattan Award for Development Journalists, many practitioners and other stakeholders who have been ‘sympathetic’ towards their cause, would definitely be proud and happy to know that eventually, there is an award scheme in place to honour journalists.   

Speaking at the launch of the award at Nyankpala in the Northern Region under theme: “The Role of The Journalist in Promoting Agriculture As a Business”, Executive Director of Countrywise Communication, Raymond Vuol, said the award is to honour hardworking and motivated practicing development journalists in the Upper West, Upper East and the Northern Regions.    

The agriculture sector, he said, is the main sector that employs majority of people but sadly however, issues of agriculture and farmers welfare have been pushed to the backburner by various media organisations and journalists.

“The trending interest of journalists and media has drifted towards sensational stories, partisan politics, conflicts and so on. It is not surprising therefore, that the agriculture sector recorded negative growth a few years ago.

Alhaji Alhassan Issahaku, Chief Dir. NRCC

“The Harmattan Award scheme is seeking to encourage journalists to develop and renew their interest in development and agribusiness reporting, with the ultimate aim of improving the welfare of smallholder farmers” Mr. Vuol noted.   

 AThe Chief Director of the Northern Regional Coordinating Council, Alhaji Alhassan Issahaku, who launched the award on behalf of the Regional Minister, said a society that is desirous of progress must give prominence to development journalism. 

He implored journalists to project issues of development by departing from the layback approach which is common with a lot of journalists and reach out for facts. “We should not allow the public space to be filled by banter journalism…the one against one….the development journalist has a responsibility to go out to seek the real facts and put it out without necessarily being partisan, without necessarily being overbearing on the issues at stake but only seeking to bring out the facts on the ground for the majority of people to appreciate what it is”, he opined.

Alhaji Issahaku also observed that, development journalism may not be profitable, sensational, interesting and attractive as compared to political journalism, but journalists must bear in mind that at the end of it all, it is development journalism that revives the hope for the progress and development of society.

“I will like to encourage those journalists that are involved in it not to be despaired by the fact that they might not have received the desired attention or desired reward in terms of finance. At the end of it, it is that development journalism that they’re engaged in that will make the difference as far as society is concerned”, he emphasized.

He further encouraged journalists to unearth the numerous potentials that exist in Northern Ghana through positive reportage because the region has a lot to offer Ghana as a country.

Eligibility/Criteria 

Stories from development journalists to be considered must border on any aspects of agriculture and its value chain, production, mechanization, value addition and market linkage among others.

The main selection criteria for the pieces are originality, structure and quality of writing or broadcast piece. The jury will also consider creativity and colour, and that is the use of relevant interviews and examples to illustrate the issues as well as variety of voices or quotes used.

Moreover, language quality as in engaging writing, television style, accurate spelling and grammar will also be seriously considered. A minimum of three agriculture related stories are required from journalists wishing to enter the awards competition.