The Media Platform on Environment and Climate Change (MPEC) and the Minority Rights Group Africa (MRGA) on Tuesday held the second edition of the Inclusive & Anti Conflict Journalism Awards in Accra.

The ceremony held on the theme “Deepening quality and ethical journalism to address conflict and minority exclusion” was organised under the engaging media and minorities to act for peace-building which is a multi-country project by the European Union (EU).

This year’s awards scheme received about 41 applications as compared to 30 applications from last year. Out of these applications six finalists were honoured.

At the end of the occasion Fugu Mohammed, the Northern Regional Correspondent of the Daily Graphic emerged as the overall best reporter.

Other awardees under the print and online/wire and TV categories included Anthony Adongo Apubeo of GNA, Timothy Ngnenbe (Daily Graphic), Emmanuel Bright Quaicoe (Multi Media), Mona Lisa Frimpong (Multi Media) and Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen of Apexnews.

In her welcome address, the Executive Director of MPEC, Mary Ama Kudom-Agyemang charged journalists to keep playing their role through public education on climate change, conflict and minority issues.

“We, as media, should play our part and highlight these issues very well and educate the public to make responsible decisions on these,” she said.

She said the award was to motivate and incentivised journalists to pay closer attention to issues of conflicts, migration, climate change and minority exclusion hence expressing gratitude to all journalists who heeded their call to participate in the awards and commended the awardees for their exceptional reportage.

Mr Affail Monney, a former president of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) who chaired the occasion, also urged the winners to be more persistent in their advocacy of minorities.

He charged journalists to practise journalism in an innovative way that de-escalates dialogue and peaceful outcomes, but not in a way that escalates conflict through bias and sensationalism.

Mr Monney admonished traditional media to ensure that news and information consumption becomes part of the solution.

“Journalists must be more inclusive in their reportage and pay closer attention to issues that adversely affect our development and well-being” Mr Monney stated.

The Secretary of the Ghana Journalists Association, Mr Kofi Yeboah for his part commended MPEC and its partners for organizing such an award to honour journalists of their good works and entreated journalists to continue to work hard to build and sustain public confidence in the media.