This year’s WAMECA was held in Ghana from November 9-11, 2023, under the theme “Media and Democracy in Africa”.
By Hope Ibiale
The Media Foundation West Africa (MFWA) has announced the winners of the 7th edition of the West Africa Media & Excellence Conference Awards (WAMECA). This year’s WAMECA was held in Ghana from November 9-11, 2023, under the theme “Media and Democracy in Africa”. The winners were selected from 825 entries from 15 countries in West Africa.
The panel of judges, comprising media executives Selay Marius Kouassi, Joseph Warunga, Reyhana Master-Smith, and Hamadou Tidiane Sy, selected the winners.
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WAMECA 2023 was supported by the US Embassy in Ghana, OXFAM Ghana, West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network (WADEMOS), MTN-Ghana, Stanbic Bank Ghana, and 50 other media partners across West Africa.
WAMECA is an initiative created by the Media Foundation for West Africa to promote media excellence in the region. Since its inception, the organisers have put out a call for submissions from journalists in print, electronic, and online media in Anglophone, Francophone, and Lusophone.
The winners of this edition include:
West Africa Journalist of the Year: Muhammed Akinyemi. Media House: Humangle Media, Nigeria. Story title: All Die Na Die: At The Heart Of Nigeria’s Soot Problem
Environmental Reporting Winner: Muhammed Akinyemi. Media House: Humangle Media, Nigeria. Story title: All Die Na Die: At The Heart Of Nigeria’s Soot Problem
ICTs Reporting Winner: Emmanuel Kwasi Debrah. Media House: Multimedia Group Limited, Ghana. Story title: Trickling credit: mobile phone users in Ghana pay for unknown subscriptions
Business Reporting Winner: Gbenga Salau. Media House: The Guardian Newspaper, Nigeria. Story title: How ‘Ghanaian herbal products’ are manufactured, marketed in Nigeria
Human Rights Reporting Winner: Komla Adom. Media House: TV3, Ghana. Story title: THE ASSIGNMENT: Education Reforms In Ghana | The Reality & The Gaps
Migration Reporting Winner: Emmanuel Ayamga. Media House: Pulse Ghana, Ghana. Story title: Bombs, fear & iffy survival: The escape story of Ghanaian footballers in war-torn Ukraine
Investigative Reporting Winner: Francisca Enchill. Media House: Joy News/Corruption Watch. Story title: Money Over Human Lives…Rot @ DVLA Exposed!