The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) is conducting its national and regional executive elections today, June 30, to elect officers who will steer the affairs of the association for the next three years. Polls opened at 0800 hours and are expected to close at 1500 hours across various designated voting centres nationwide. A total of 883 eligible members are expected to cast their ballots, with valid forms of identification including the Ghana Card, passport, and voter identification card.

A total of 62 candidates have been cleared to contest various positions: 13 at the national level and 49 across the regions. After the close of polls, counting and announcement of results will take place at each voting centre. Regional Executive Election Results will be declared at their respective Regional Voting Centres and communicated via a designated platform. National Executive Election Results from the various voting centres will be collated at the Press Centre in Accra, where the final results will be declared.

The GJA Elections Committee has urged members to disregard any "fake voters' list" circulating on social media and to rely solely on the official voters’ register, which has been duly signed by both the GJA General Secretary and Treasurer. Members have also been cautioned to comport themselves responsibly across the voting centres, with the Police notified to be on standby to intervene if necessary, ensuring a smooth and incident-free process.

Reports from various regions indicate a generally smooth election process. In the Bono Region, 27 registered journalists are participating in the election at the Regional Electoral Commission office. Here, candidates for various national executive positions are running unopposed. Similarly, in the Northern Region, GJA elections commenced as scheduled, with 14 delegates expected to vote, comprising 12 from the Northern Region and 2 from the North East Region. An election official at the GBC voting centre, Fatima Kanton, described the turnout as encouraging, noting that eight out of 14 delegates had already voted by 9:10 am.

In the Western Region, the election is proceeding smoothly at the Takoradi Press Centre. Out of 20 expected eligible voters, seven had cast their votes as of 10:30 am. All four Western Regional executives are running unopposed, meaning voters are primarily casting ballots for candidates contesting national positions. Electoral Officer Kofi Apreku assured Citi News that the process has been peaceful so far, with no confusion reported. Voter George Folley expressed satisfaction with the smooth nature of the process and highlighted the increased national interest in this year's GJA election, urging more colleagues to participate.

In the Greater Accra Region, a significant turnout is expected, with 565 journalists anticipated to vote across five designated centres.

Several key national positions are being contested. The Presidential race is a two-horse contest between incumbent Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, who is seeking a second term, and Charles Yao Mawusi, a communication specialist and media consultant. The Vice President race is an all-female contest featuring Rebecca Ekpe, the current Public Affairs Officer and GBC editor, against Mary Tawiah Mensah, Foreign Editor of the Daily Graphic and a former GJA Public Affairs Officer.

For the General Secretary position, Dominic Hlordzi, the current Organising Secretary, is vying against Akwasi Agyeman, who previously contested in 2022. The Organising Secretary position sees Maxwell Kudekor, the GJA Eastern Regional Chairman, competing against Suleiman Mustapha, Acting Editor of the Graphic Business. Another all-female contest is for the Treasurer position, between Bertha Badu-Agyei of the Ghana News Agency and Theodora Amedetor of the GBC. Finally, for the Public Affairs Officer role, Caesar Abagali of the Ghana News Agency is making a comeback bid, competing against Zadok Kwame Gyesi, formerly of Graphic Online.

Meanwhile, Alfred Monney, the immediate past president of the Ghana Journalists Association, has urged journalists to prioritize character and competence when selecting the next leadership of the Association. Speaking after casting his vote, Mr. Monney underscored the importance of electing leaders with integrity and the right temperament to navigate the evolving challenges within the media landscape, ensuring their values align with the ethics and aspirations of the profession.

Founded in 1949, the GJA serves as the main professional body representing journalists in Ghana. Its mission is to promote journalistic professionalism and standards, strengthen the media’s role in democracy and governance, and defend freedom of expression, media pluralism, and access to information.