‘26th GJA Awards: Manuel Koranteng crowned Komla Dumor Most Promising Journalist of the year’

Manuel Koranteng has been adjudged the most promising journalist at the 26th Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Awards.

Manuel, born Emmanuel Kojo Koranteng, works as a Multimedia Journalist and News Anchor with Joy News and Joy Fm; both subsidiaries of Ghanaian broadcasting giant, Multimedia Group Limited. 

Since joining the Accra-based firm officially in 2020, Manuel has been one of the main on-field reporters of the station, covering a wide range of stories in health, security, human rights, politics, sanitation and environment. 

Apart from anchoring the station’s weekend TV news bulletins, Manuel has also been a regular on the 6am news on Joy FM.

His award-winning story on a 10-year-old homeless boy who slept rough under the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange with his mentally deranged mother, caught the attention of the public forcing city authorities and officials of the Department of Social Welfare to quickly rescue little Ebenezer.

Eben has since been in care while his mother continues to receive treatment from the mental health facility.

In December 2019, Manuel was crowned Best Student Journalist at the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) Excellece Awards. 

This was for his stellar voluntary work at Radio Univers during his undergraduate studies at University of Ghana, serving as Morning Show Host for over two years.

Manuel has also had international experience working with the BBC in the production of at least two ground-breaking and multiple award-winning documentaries in 2019 and 2020.

The major strides during his rather short stay at the Multimedia have no doubt won him the enviable award of the GJA/Komla Dumor Most Promising Journalist, 2021.

The award was received on his behalf by colleagues at Joy News, Joojo Cobbinah Richard Kojo Nyarko, as Manuel is away pursuing further studies at the University of Sussex, UK

Below is the full list of awardees on the night:
News Reporting (Print)
Maclean Kwofi (Daily Graphic) – Covid-19 Protocol missing at Kotoka International Airport

News Reporting (Television)
Portia Gabor (TV3) –  Beggar’s Paradise

News Reporting (Radio)
Ridwan K. Osman (EIB Network)

News Reporting (Online)
Emmanuel Bonney (Graphic Online) –  Invasion of street beggars in Accra

Features (Print)
Kester Aburam Korankye (Daily Graphic) – Attaining Efficient transport system, has the BRT collapsed

Features (TV) 
Peggy Ama Donkor (GTV) – Highway Robbery in the far east of the Bono East Region

Features (Radio)
Mavis Ofei Akyeampong –  Frontline workers

Features (Online)
Albert Oppong Mensah (GNA)  – COP26: Why Ghana’s still voice

Documentary (TV)
Solomon Joojo Cobinna (Joy News) – Searching for the witch hunters

Best in Democracy Reporting
Seth J. Bokpe (Fourth Estate) –  Testing the RTI Law

Sports
Juliet Bawuah (TV3) – Rugby at the beach

Education
Joseph Armstrong Alorgbey (TV3) – Contractor fails to hand over school block to

Investigative Journalism
Francisca Enchill (Joy Prime / Freelance ) – Pay or die: Agony of pregnant women in hospitals

Photo Journalism
Geoffrey Buta (Ghanaian Times) – Five-hour downpour destruction

Business and Economics
Daryl Kwawu (Joy News) – The unemployment challenge

Environment and Science
Godwin Asediba (GHOne TV) – Sanitation crisis in public toilets

Health
Portia Gabor (TV3) – Wealth for health

Agriculture
Richard Kwadwo Nyarko (Joy News) – When the last fish is caught

Gender
Benedicta A. Gyimah (Ghanaian Times) – Cost of pesticides

Disability
Samuel Amoh (Adom TV) – Rejected over elephantiasis – the story of Aziz Entsie

Tourism
Beatrice Senaju (GBC) – Bomfobiri wildlife sanctuary, beauty in the wild

Road safety
Kester Aburam Korankye (Daily Graphic) – Indiscipline unabated, motorway without rules

Best TV/Radio Programme in Akan
Di Asa (Atinka TV)

Best TV/Radio Programme in Ga
Obonu FM

Best TV Programme in English
Newsfile (Joy News/Joy FM)

Special Award by GJA President
James Nortey (GJA Staff at the Ghana International Press Centre)

Female Journalist of the Year
Francisca Enchill (Joy Prime / Freelance)

Komla Dumor Most Promising Journalist Award
Emmanuel (Manuel) Koranteng (Joy News)

GJA/PAV Ansah Journalist of the Year
Portia Gabor (TV3)