28th GJA Awards: Philip Teye Agbove of Fourth Estate wins Online News Journalist of the Year

Philip Teye Agbove, a journalist with Fourth Estate and Fact-Check Ghana—projects of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), has been adjudged Online News Journalist of the Year at the 28th Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) Awards.

The 28th GJA Awards, with the theme "75 Years of Excellence in Journalism: The Role of the Media in Democratic Governance and Elections", was held on September 28, 2024 at the Accra International Conference Centre.

Teye Agbove clinched the category for his story titled "$1million per constituency toilets abandoned as communities defecate in the open."

This was a bold and gripping exposé that sheds light on the tragic neglect of basic infrastructure in Ghana's coastal communities in the Ada and Sege constituencies in the Greater Accra region.

Through vivid storytelling and detailed investigative work as well as sorrowful but powerful pictures of the abandoned structures, Teye Agbove uncovered the broken promises of the $1 million dollars per constituency initiative, revealing the dire consequences of abandoned public toilet projects.

This report brought to life the human toil and the failures, offering a powerful call for accountability.

Speaking to ModernGhana News after receiving the award, Teye Agbove reaffirmed his belief that the story will help address sanitation issues that affect vulnerable communities.

He reiterated his commitment to using journalism as a tool for positive change.

"I am deeply honored to receive this award, but the real recognition belongs to the communities whose stories of struggle and perseverance inspired this investigation.

“My hope is that this piece sparks a sense of urgency in addressing the sanitation issues that continue to affect the most vulnerable. Journalism is a tool for change, and I remain committed to uncovering the stories that hold power accountable and bring lasting solutions to the people,” remarked the award-winner.

"The government cannot justify investing such vast amounts in mere toilet facilities, only to abandon them to deterioration, while communities continue to endure devastating health consequences and social stigma,” he added.

The young journalist's commitment to speaking truth to power through solutions-focused storytelling has led to numerous awards in the past, including the Most Promising Young Investigative Journalist (2022) by the MFWA and the Outstanding Justice Advocate Award for anti-human trafficking efforts by the International Justice Mission (UM).

A nominee for the 2023 ICFJ Knight International Journalism Awards and Amnesty Media Awards, Philip is also Ghana's National Outstanding Student Journalist of the Year (2022) and Ghana's Best Student Radio Presenter 2021.