Near blows disrupts GJA Awards cash accountability meeting

What started as a civil way of demanding accountability for the recently held Ghana Journalists Associations (GJA) Awards in the Northern Region, ended in near fisticuffs.

In the ensuing melee over who spent what and how much was spent for the event which recognized outstanding journalists, members of the inky fraternity were seen yelling at each other.

Following irreconcilable differences, journalists who themselves could not be accountable became physical and verbally abusive.

Mr. Abdul Hayi Moomen, formerly of GTV on his Facebook page detailed exactly what happened.

Read the unedited version below;

A scheduled meeting of the Northern Regional Branch of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) ended abruptly following heated exchanges over accountability issues. The meeting, held to discuss the affairs of the association since the current executives assumed office in 2022, was cut short after tempers flared, largely due to the conduct of the Secretary, Albert Futukpor.

Tensions began to rise after Mr. Futukpor presented a report on the region’s finances, which many members described as vague and lacking critical details, particularly regarding the funds received from sponsors for the GJA Awards. The report, which was expected to provide an account of how monies were spent since 2022, failed to clarify how certain funds, including a notable donation of GHC 11,000 meant for the purchase of laptops for award winners, were utilized. The laptops were eventually provided by the Speaker of Parliament, leaving questions over the original funds unaddressed.

Several journalists, including Dr. Mahama Shaibu, head of the Journalism Studies Department at the University for Development Studies, Mr. Abdul Hayi Moomen, formerly of GTV, and many others, sought to question the Secretary on these issues. However, Mr. Futukpor’s defensive and aggressive attitude from the outset of the meeting created a hostile atmosphere. When Dr. Shaibu attempted to raise concerns, a verbal confrontation ensued between the two.

Matters escalated further when Murtala Issah, the Head of News at the GBC Northern Regional Office, intervened, reminding the Secretary that the meeting had a chairman and that all contributions should be made through the chair. Mr. Futukpor, however, dismissed this advice and responded angrily, further exacerbating the already tense situation.

The meeting ultimately descended into chaos when Mr. Futukpor shouted at Joy News and Joy FM correspondent Martina Bugri, telling her to “shut up.” This final outburst prompted members to walk out of the meeting, leaving the gathering in disarray.

The abrupt end to the meeting has left members of the Northern Regional GJA deeply frustrated, with many believing that the executives were attempting to deflect attention from critical questions of accountability. Several journalists expressed concerns over the association’s financial management, particularly regarding the lack of receipts or detailed reports on expenditures for GJA events and awards ceremonies.

“Journalists cannot demand accountability from others if their own leadership fails to account for tens of thousands of Ghana cedis donated by various organizations,” one member remarked after the meeting.

In light of the unresolved issues, some journalists are calling on the organizations that sponsored GJA activities in the Northern Region to demand transparency and proper financial accountability from the regional executives. The fallout from the meeting has left many wondering whether the GJA’s leadership in the region can rebuild trust among its members moving forward.

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