The stage is officially set for the highly anticipated Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) national and regional elections, after candidates successfully picked their positions on the ballot paper during an exercise held on Friday, June 13, 2025, at the Ghana International Press Centre in Accra.
Twelve out of thirteen approved national candidates enthusiastically participated, securing their positions on the ballot for the six key leadership roles: President, Vice President, General Secretary, Organising Secretary, Treasurer, and Public Affairs Officer.
A notable development was Rufai Zambaga Saminu’s withdrawal from the Treasurer’s race. He communicated his decision to the Elections Committee prior to the balloting.
At the regional level, 17 of 49 candidates selected their ballot positions to contest for Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer roles across six regions: Ashanti, Volta, Central, Upper East, Upper West, and Eastern. Demonstrating a significant show of confidence, 31 candidates are running unopposed and have been duly elected per Article 48(d)(i) of the GJA Constitution, which stipulates: “Where at the close of nomination, only one person stands nominated, that candidate shall be declared elected by the Elections Committee.”
Mr. Peter Martey Agbeko, Chairman of the GJA Elections Committee, hailed the balloting exercise as a crucial stride towards a credible election. “This successful balloting marks a significant milestone in the electoral process. We are determined to ensure a transparent, peaceful, and democratic exercise. We urge all candidates and their supporters to conduct clean and progressive campaigns. The future of the Association depends on the ideas we share and the values we uphold during this critical time,” Mr. Agbeko stated.
He further confirmed that the Electoral Commission of Ghana will oversee the elections, with support from GJA Regional Election Officers.
Voting is slated for Monday, June 30, 2025, and will occur at 16 designated centres nationwide. These include five centres in Accra, one in Tema, and ten regional polling stations in Central, Eastern, Upper East, Upper West, Bono, Bono East, Ashanti, Volta, Northern, and Western regions.
Regional executive election results will be declared at their respective polling centres, while national executive results will be collated at the Ghana International Press Centre.
Reiterating the Committee’s dedication to fairness and professionalism, Mr. Agbeko added, “We are working hard to release the guidelines for the conduct of polls soon. We wish all aspirants the very best.”
Meanwhile, nominations for the vice chairperson position in the Volta Region remain open until 5 PM on Monday, June 17, with approved candidate(s) to be subsequently included in the elections.