Accra, Sept. 5, GNA - The 11-member Awards Committee for the 16th Ghan= a Journalists Association (GJA) Awards on Monday proposed 31 nominees for the various categories of awards.

The nominees would be finally approved by the Executive of the Association.

The nominees include Ms Hannah Asomaning (Mrs Awadzi) of the Ghana New= s Agency (GNA), Mr Edmund Smith-Asante, Ghana Business News, Fati Shaibu Ali, Etv, the Team Graphic, Daily Graphic, Naa Lamiley Bentil, Daily Graphic and Caesar Abagali also of the GNA.

Others include Ms Lucy Adoma Yeboah and Mrs Rebecca Quaicoo-Duho, both of the Daily Graphic, Richard Skyy, Citi FM, Odelia Ofori, TV3, Kofi Yeboah= , Daily Graphic, Asamoah Tuffuor, Ghanaian Times, Sammy Darko, Joy FM, Manasseh Awuni, GBC/Freelance, Vicky Wereko, Daily Graphic/Freelance, Kwaku Owusu Peprah, Joy FM, Kafui Kanyi, GNA, Samuel Dowuona, Adom FM, Radio Peac= e and Unique FM.

The Rest are Mr Charles Takyi Boadu, Daily Guide, Edward Nyarko, GTV, Bashiru Adam, Public Agenda, Eric Adjei Ansah, Metro TV, Dominic Hlordze, GBC, Sylvanus Kumi, Business Guide, Kofi Enchill, Heritage, Samuel Agyemang= , Metro TV, William Asiedu, Mirror, Charles Okine, Daily Graphic, Business an= d Financial Times. Mr Edward Ameyibor, Chairman of the Committee explained that a total o= f 36 categories were selected which was down from 39 for last year. However, the number of entries rose from 271 last year to 302 for this year.

He explained that categories including Cartoons, Democracy and Peacekeeping, Best Radio and TV local language Programmes were among the categories that were not considered in this years' award, resulting in th= e lower number of categories as against the 33 last year.

Mr Ameyibor said no awards were selected for five categories which included Sports, Photojournalism, Parliamentary Reporting, Morning Show and Online Journalism because most of the entries did not either meet the criteria or they were wrongly placed, but there was no entry for Science Reporting at all.

He said the Committee had been working around the clock since its inauguration in May this year to ensure a credible outcome which was based on a stringent criterion for selection.

He said the criterion paid attention to accuracy in terms of precision, logical presentation, use of statistics and attribution, as well as grammar and spelling.

"Other areas of attention include Balance, truth, relevance, social impact of the write-up, initiative, language and ethical standards among other things", he said.

Mr Ameyibor said the Committee reiterated its suggestion that a standardised cover page stating name, media house, slug and title and category be mandated for all entries. He expressed disappointment at the poor Regional participation and also the agony of wrong placement of entries and thanked the members of the Committee for their dedication and hard work to meet the deadline. Mr Bright Blewu, General Secretary, GJA, commended the Committee for the dedication and challenged journalists to expand their areas of interest= s and be innovative in their reportage.