The Evening Mail newspaper has been honoured by the International Justice Mission (IJM) for its impactful journalism, particularly its reportage on human trafficking, child labour, and exploitation.
The award was presented yesterday, May 21, 2026, at Aburi in the Eastern Region during a media sensitisation workshop on anti-human trafficking and trauma-informed reporting organised by the IJM.
The recognition followed a series of anti-trafficking stories published by the paper, especially its February 20, 2026 banner headline story on the rescue of five Sierra Leonean nationals in an operation at Amasaman.
Rescue Story
The report revealed that the Amasaman District Police Command arrested a woman identified as Fatimata Cece in connection with an alleged human trafficking and exploitation case involving the five Sierra Leoneans.
The arrest followed a formal complaint lodged with the Ghana Police Service after Nicholas Morkah, a broadcast journalist and morning show host at Akyemansa FM, escorted the victims to the police.
According to the victims, they were allegedly lured into Ghana by the suspect, with the assistance of a man identified only as Abu, under the pretext of facilitating travel opportunities to Australia.
However, upon arrival, they claimed they were forced into joining a networking company known as QNet and compelled to pay thousands of dollars for products.
The victims further alleged that they were subjected to poor living conditions, severe food restrictions, psychological distress, and confiscation of their travel documents.
There were also fears of possible cross-border trafficking after claims emerged that plans were underway to relocate them to Côte d’Ivoire.
Award
Mr Morkah, who broke the story, was specifically honoured for his efforts, which contributed to the rescue of the victims.
As part of the story, the Officer in Charge of Transfers at the Embassy of Sierra Leone in Ghana, Mr Aiah Edwin Mbbawa, had assured support and intervention to ensure the safety of the affected nationals.
Mr Morkah received a laptop, IJM souvenirs, and a certificate, while the Evening Mail received a certificate and souvenirs for amplifying the story.
The award on behalf of the newspaper was received by Ellen Ofosu Asieduaa, Managing Editor of the paper.
