Yeboah-Afari chairs Commonwealth writers’ award panel

Ms. Ajoa Yeboah-Afari, one of Ghana’s outstanding journalists has been appointed as Chairperson of the Africa Regional Judging Panel of the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize 2011.

Ms Yeboah-Afari who is the Coordinator of the Ghana Media Standards Improvement Project, was a Deputy Editor of the Mirror, has worked as a BBC Correspondent, is the immediate past President of the Ghana Journalists Association and former Editor of the Ghanaian Times. She is also the Chairperson of the Editors Forum, Ghana.

The other members of the Panel are Professor Peter Simatei of Kenya and Ms Beulah Thumbadoo, of South Africa.

Ms. Yeboah-Afari told ghanabusinessnews.com in a telephone interview that even though she is known widely as a journalist, she also has an interest in creative writing.

She said in the past she had written for Ghana Television, done some work for the theatre as well as written some published short stories which are now out of print.

When ghanabusinessnews.com asked her of her impressions about her appointment, Ms. Yeboah-Afari said “I am happy to be part of unearthing creative writers on the continent, and I feel proud as a creative writer.”

Last year, she was a co-judge on the panel, she said.

According to her, this appointment is “technically for a year,” but she will be Chairperson for two years.

The 2011 competition is the 25th Commonwealth Writers Prize. Works of fiction written by authors from Commonwealth countries published in 2010 are eligible and are to be submitted by the publishing houses, a press release from the organisers has said.

The Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, established in 1987, is organised and funded by the Commonwealth Foundation with the support of the Macquarie Group Foundation of Australia (MGF).  Details and an online entry form are available at the Commonwealth Foundation’s website: www.commonwealthfoundation.com/cwp

The deadline for entries is November 15, 2010.

By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi