The Committee for the Ray Ekpu Award for Investigative Journalism has announced between Tuesday October 19 and Sunday October 31, 2020 as the period for submission of entries for the maiden edition of the award which attracts a N500,000.00 (five hundred thousand naira only) prize annually.
A statement jointly signed by the chairman and secretary of the Committee, Mr Nsikak Essien and Mrs Emem Nkereuwem respectively, indicates that this year’s award is limited to publications made between October 31, 2020 and October 13, 2021.
According to the statement, “entries are expected only from registered members of the Akwa Ibom State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ); and must be on materials in any of the following genres: print, radio and television published between October 31, 2020 and October 13, 2021.”
Requirements for the entry include a copy of the original publication in hard copy for print; audio recording for radio, with complete identity of the media organisation; and video recording for television, with verifiable publication date, time and media organisation. All entries must be made through the Akwa Ibom State Council of NUJ for onward delivery to the Secretariat of the Committee, it added.
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Entries will be assessed based on the following criteria:
1. Depth of investigation.
2. Conformity with the ideals of journalistic excellence.
3. Style and language of presentation.
4. Contribution to Good Governance in public office.
5. Impact on the fight against corruption and impunity.
6. Contribution to national unity and ethnic cohesion in Akwa Ibom state.
7. Promotion of human and individual rights.
8. Relevance to the fight against societal ills like rape and girl child abuse.
9. Efforts to check poverty and abuse of environment.
10. Attempts to check drug abuse, cultism and general insecurity.
The winner of the award, instituted by the Inoyo Toro Foundation, will be unveiled on Friday, December 10, 2021 at the Akwa Ibom State NUJ Award Nite in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.
