... GNA marginalised

Thirty-four (34) short-listed sports luminaries and 22 institutions will on Saturday, 2nd April 2005, converge on the premises of the Regency Hotel, Accra for honours in 10 special categories of sports awards.

Conspicuously missing from the line-up is the Ghana News Agency Sports Desk, which is the source of many exciting and amazing sports stories for most sports institutions in the country. A section of the media feels the omission of GNA of all news houses was mischievously deliberate and the explanation of the organizers that it was the result of a maiden initiative's natural lapse has been deemed lame. It is being peddled around that it was because GNA does not have by-lines to identify specific writers for awards, but this presumption remains within the peripheries of unofficial suggestion.

The award is organized by the Media trust incorporated and seeks to reward hard working sports journalists who, throughout the year under review, have gone the extra mile to bring out the best in the profession and yet received very little recognition.

The Minister for Education and Sports, Hon. Yaw Osafo-Maafo, will grace the occasion as special guest of honour.

Nominated for the best sports presenter for television award are; Prince Annan of Metro TV, Kwabena Yeboah -GTV, and Kojo Frimpong - TV3.

Those going for Radio presentation are Sometimer Otuo Acheampong of Fox FM in Kumasi, Michael Oti-Adjei - Joy FM, Kwame Baah-Nuako - Adom FM, Alidu Yakubu - Radio Justice, Tamale, King Edward - Hello FM, Kumasi and Kwabena Kyere - Space FM, Kumasi.

The sports writer of the year award has been penciled for Sammy Okaitey - Graphic Sports, John Vigah - Times Sports, Rosalind Amoh, Graphic Sports, Andy Quao - Times Sports or Isaac Yeboah of the Soccer Express.

The Graphic Sports, Kotoko Express, Africa Sports, Times Sports and Hearts News newspapers have been nominated for the sports paper of the year award.

Television stations like Metro TV, GTV, TV3, Crystal TV, TV Africa and Frontomfrom have been nominated for the best station of the year award.

Those nominated for radio are Radio Gold, Peace FM, Joy FM, Adom FM, Rock FM, Hello FM, Kapital Radio, Space FM, Radio Mercury, Fox FM, Happy FM, Choice FM and Uniiq FM.

Sports Columnists; Taminu Issah - Soccer Express, Ackah Anthony - Mirror, Kofi Adzi - Dispatch, and Michael Oti-Adjei - Chronicle have been nominated in that category.

Messrs Kwabena Yeboah - GTV, Sarfo Abebrese - GTV, Kojo Frimpong - TV3, and Mohammed Amin Lamptey are in the running for the best sports commentator of Television award.

In the radio category, Dan Kwaku Yeboah - Peace FM, Swanzy Essuman - Adom FM, Ebenezer Ofori Anim - Hello FM, Patrick Agyemang - Luv FM, Kofi Asare Brako - Peace FM, Samuel Yirenkyi - Joy FM, Kwaku Aduanum - Radio Gold, and George Lartey - Uniiq FM have been nominated.

The best sports Photo Journalist award may go to Seth Osabukle - Times Sports, Ebow Hanson - Graphic Sports, Isaac Yeboah - Soccer Express or David Kyei of the Kotoko Express newspaper.