Accra, Nov. 15, GNA – Mr Manasseh Azure Awuni, a Free-lance Investigative Journalist, has emerged the West African Journalist of the Year at the West Africa Media Excellence Awards held in Accra.
He received US$2,000 as his prize.
Mr Awuni won the prize on the ticket of a story titled: « Grounded Wheels, » which sought to expose the waste of resources on the continent, despite the little socio-economic progress.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, he said there was the need for the state to ensure the safety of investigative journalists, by actively creating a safe environment that complemented their work.
« If someone threatens a journalist, we should not wait for that journalist to be killed, immediate measures should be put in place to protect that journalist from harm in the first place, » he said.
Mr Awuni encouraged journalists, especially young and up-coming ones, not to allow fear or intimidation from any quarters to stop them from pursuing justice.
« Fighting corruption easily turns you into a target to be gotten rid of, but you need to press on and help build a clean society, » he said.
Mr Awuni also received 500 US Dollars for the Best Anti-corruption Report.
Six other journalists from the sub-region received awards in other categories.
They were Moussa Ngom, Senegal; Best Health Reporter, Olunfunke Busari, Nigeria; Best Reporter on Human Rights, and Olatunji Ololade, Nigeria; Best Environmental Reporter.
The rest were Fisayo Soyombo, Nigeria; Best Investigative Reporter, Kelechukwu Iruoma, Nigeria; Best Business and SMEs Reporter, and Innocent Duru, Nigeria; Best Telecommunications and ICT Reporter.
The event was organised by the Media Foundation for West Africa.
