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3rd JoyNews Impact Makers Awards winner Geoffrey Kwame Buta shining a light through a lens of inclusion
It was a night of inspiration, resilience, and recognition at the third JoyNews Impact Makers Awards, held on Saturday, June 28, at the Ecobank Head Office in Accra Central.
Ten outstanding individuals from across Ghana were honoured for their extraordinary contributions to transforming vulnerable communities.
Among them stood Geoffrey Kwame Buta, a staff photojournalist with the New Times Corporation, publishers of The Spectator and The Ghanaian Times, whose work continues to break new ground in disability inclusion through visual storytelling.
Buta, a multiple award-winning photojournalist, was recognised for his pioneering initiative Foto4Change, which trains deaf students in visual storytelling.
His passion for empowering the marginalised took a transformative turn when he donated cameras and accessories and initiated a training programme at the Savelugu School for the Deaf in the Northern Region.
What began as a simple gesture of kindness blossomed into a powerful platform for amplifying unheard voices-giving students with hearing impairments the tools to tell their own stories, free from bias, and to pursue creative professions.
To date, Foto4Change has impacted students in five deaf institutions: Savelugu, Gbeogo, and Wa Schools for the deaf in Ghana; and at Harare Polytechnic and the Deaf Zimbabwe Trust in Zimbabwe, where two deaf students are currently studying Mass Communication.
“The deaf and hearing-impaired communities have powerful, emotional, and inspiring stories to tell. They only need the tools and the opportunity.
Foto4Change is a bridge to that future,” Geoffrey said after receiving his award.
He expressed profound gratitude to the team at Foto4Change and the Multimedia Group, particularly Joy FM, for creating a platform that recognises and uplifts changemakers whose work often goes unnoticed.
“This platform not only shines a light on our efforts but inspires us to keep going,” he noted. “It also sends a message to organisations and individuals that supporting people with disabilities is a responsibility we must all share.”
Buta also called for greater support both financial and technical for grassroots initiatives working with the deaf and visually impaired communities.
“With mentorship, access to tools, and consistent training, these young talents can grow into world-class professionals,” he added.
Surrounded by family, friends, and supporters, Buta encouraged fellow changemakers not to underestimate the ripple effects of their efforts.
“Whatever you’re doing in your small corner is contributing to something bigger,” he reminded the audience.
The JoyNews Impact Makers Awards, now in its third year, continues to be a beacon of hope and national celebration for unsung heroes who are quietly reshaping Ghana’s landscape in education, health, social welfare, and sanitation.
From life-saving initiatives in cancer care to Buta’s innovative work with the hearing-impaired, each awardee’s journey reminded the nation that true impact often begins where the spotlight rarely shines.
For Geoffrey Kwame Buta, the lens is a medium for justice, inclusion, and lasting change for people with disability.
The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, has accepted an apology from the Minority leader in Parliament following allegations of corruption in the recruitment process of the security services.
Speaking in Parliament yesterday, he indicated that the accusations were painful because they portrayed his actions in a way that suggested criminal wrongdoing.
“It is painful to be wrongly accused or for your actions to be misconstrued and labelled differently from your intention, especially when it is linked with criminality and serious wrongdoing,” he stated.
Mr Mubarak noted that although he was deeply hurt and worried by the allegations, he had decided to accept the apology wholeheartedly.
According to him, the issue should guide members of the House and public officials to focus on ensuring that the right things are done without attempting to destroy one another.
He assured the Minority that the Interior Ministry and the various security service commanders remain committed to transparency and accountability in their work.
The Minister added that the ministry would be ready to address any concerns raised by the Minority or other members of Parliament regarding recruitment into the security services.
He further appealed to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, to consider expunging from the parliamentary records the false comments.
Mr Mubarak expressed appreciation to the Speaker for handling the matter and emphasised the need for cooperation among members of Parliament to ensure fairness and proper oversight.
By: Jacob Aggrey
THE Gospel Advocates (TGA), a non-denominational evangelistic Christian organisation last Saturday donated a number of educational logistics to the Dodi Asantekrom Basic School in the Eastern region of Ghana.
The gesture was to mark the seventh anniversary of the organisation made up of professionals committed to preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to students in senior high schools, particularly in rural communities.
TGA also seeks to inspire students towards attaining academic excellence and guiding them towards optimising the various learning opportunities and academic programmes available at the tertiary level.
Among the items donated were 100 desks, 10 cupboards, 10 desktop computers, two laptops, 10 teachers’ tables and chairs and others.
The group also held its annual outreach programme that had a significant impact in the community through initiatives such as feeding 500 children with hot meals and assorted drinks, providing free medical screening and drugs for 500 adults and youth and conducting health education and sensitisation for both children and adults.
TGA also took upon itself to restock the community clinic with essential medicines and distributed food items, plastic bowls, cups and clothing to members of the community.
The initiative, according to officials of the group, was supported by ORSAM Limited, Doctors Save Lives Foundation, Johnson Tord Foundation, El-Shaddai Mothercare, Exceed Alliance Limited, GB Foods Ghana Limited, Qualiplast Limited, Phyto-Riker (Gihoc) Pharmaceuticals Limited, Cosa Bright Ghana, Kabs Pharmacy, Tobinco Pharmaceuticals, Pill Bay Pharmacy and Bamah 3.7.7.
“We are deeply grateful for their immense support and partnership in bringing hope, relief, and practical assistance to the people of Dodi Asantekrom,” the officials said.
In a statement, the President and Chairman of The Gospel Advocates, Mr. Selom Kpikpitse, said the donation to Dodi Asantekrom forms part of TGA’s broader mission to propagate the gospel of Jesus Christ among students and youth in rural communities through teachings, music and arts.
He explained that the meals provided to over 500 pupils were in line with the organization’s annual “Feed the Kidz Project,” which demonstrates Christ’s love.
Receiving the items on behalf of the school, the Headmaster, Mr. Otumfour Newton, expressed gratitude to TGA and its sponsors, saying that “the items would significantly enhance teaching and learning while improving the overall welfare and development of the pupils.”
Mr. Newton also commended the team for the free medical screenings for adults and youth in the community, and other community engagements.
Medical supplies were also donated to the Dodi Asantekrom CHPS compound and received on behalf of the facility by Mr. Amefu, a Physician Assistant.
By Spectator Reporter
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