They are curious minds, bold storytellers, and advocates for transparency, each committed to using journalism as a force for accountability and social change. Drawn from diverse media backgrounds across Ghana, the eleven fellows of the 7th Edition of the Next Generation Investigative Journalism (NGIJ) Fellowship represent a new wave of journalists determined to uphold ethical standards and professional excellence in a challenging media landscape.
The 7th cohort, supported by DW Akademie under the project “Promoting Media Safety and Professionalism for Accountable Governance in West Africa,” focuses on equipping early-career journalists with investigative skills to expose corruption, strengthen public accountability, and promote media safety and professionalism.
Over the next few months, the fellows will undergo intensive training in investigative and accountability reporting, learning how to uncover wrongdoing, amplify public interest stories, and navigate the ethical and safety challenges of journalism. Through mentorship, fieldwork, and story production, they will gain the practical tools to drive reform and build public trust in the media.
Together, they represent a diverse mix of talent, creativity, and commitment to journalism that informs, challenges, and inspires. Meet the eleven journalists selected for the 7th edition of the NGIJ Fellowship.
Stanley Nii Blewu
Stanley is an experienced multimedia journalist with TV3, a subsidiary of the Media General Group. Since beginning his journalism career in 2010, he has developed strong expertise in investigative and child protection reporting. His dedication to uncovering truth and promoting social justice has earned him numerous honours, including the GJA Investigative Reporter of the Year (2018) and Online Documentary Report of the Year (2024).
Stanley’s professional interests lie in advancing ethical, data-driven investigations that protect vulnerable communities and individuals. Through the Next Generation Investigative Journalism Fellowship, he aims to refine his investigative techniques, expand regional collaborations, and mentor emerging journalists within Media General.
Benedicta Gyimaah Folley
Benedicta Gyimaah Folley is a multiple award-winning journalist with the New Times Corporation (NTC), publishers of The Ghanaian Times and The Spectator. Since 2017, she has reported extensively on gender, sanitation, education, agriculture, and environmental issues. She has earned 10 journalism awards, including being a two-time Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Gender Reporter of the Year in 2021 and 2023. She is passionate about using storytelling to drive social change and promote sustainable development in Ghana and beyond.
Samuel Swanzy-Baffoe
Samuel Swanzy-Baffoe is a freelance journalist with a passion for development and professionalism. He is a freelance journalist and a Communications Assistant at the Strategic Youth Network for Development, an NGO dedicated to youth participation in matters of the environment and natural resources.
At SYND, Samuel is part of a team implementing a news and information project, Skorched Earth. A medium dedicated to informing and educating on matters of natural resources and the environment. He looks forward to learning more about professional methods of investigative journalism.
Prince Ato Kwamena Koomson
Passionate about amplifying underreported voices, Prince Ato Kwamena Koomson blends civic advocacy with impactful storytelling. Through his platform Voices of Concern, he has become a thoughtful voice on governance, social justice, and accountability — and now seeks to deepen his investigative edge through the NGIJ Fellowship.
Prince holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from the Ghana Institute of Journalism and has a background in public interest reporting. His fellowship journey reflects his desire to expose wrongdoing and contribute to transparent governance in Ghana.
Godwin Dzigbanu
Driven by curiosity and conviction, Godwin Dzigbanu brings a fearless commitment to uncovering the truth and spotlighting marginalised communities. His sharp eye for ethical storytelling and his resolve to report with depth and integrity make him a valuable addition to the fellowship’s growing network of accountability journalists.
Godwin is a broadcast journalist with experience in current affairs and feature writing. His passion for youth empowerment and civic education drives his reporting on corruption and governance issues.
Winifred Lartey
With a keen sense for detail and a passion for public accountability, Winifred Lartey’s journalism merges data-driven storytelling with visual precision. As a copy editor and reporter at Asaase Broadcasting Company Ltd, she has been at the forefront of uncovering corruption and development challenges, and she joins the NGIJ Fellowship eager to advance safe, ethical, and professional reporting practices. Winifred’s work reflects a deep understanding of the intersections between journalism, transparency, and social responsibility.
Theodore A. Korku Mawutor
Efo Korku Mawutor (Theodore A. Korku Mawutor) is a multimedia journalist and documentary producer dedicated to uncovering truths and telling in-depth stories that matter. His investigative work has exposed critical issues such as the illegal trade of personal data and public health threats like food poisoning, published on platforms including SciDev.Net, IWPR, and Ghana News Guide.
With a strong background in fact-checking, having worked with GhanaFact to investigate trending claims on COVID-19 and the 2020 Elections in Ghana, Efo brings a meticulous and evidence-based approach to his reporting. His skills extend from the field to the edit suite, where he serves as a cinematographer and producer for documentary and news reports featured on BBC and France24.
Efo is committed to using journalism as a tool for accountability and social change. As a Fellow, he aims to deepen his investigative techniques to further his mission of producing rigorous, high-impact journalism for African communities and the world.
Clinton Yeboah
An award-winning journalist with Luv FM of the Multimedia Group Limited, Clinton Yeboah aspires to pursue investigative journalism. He believes that the NGIJ Fellowship will equip him with the safe and professional approaches to identify, pursue and execute stories of social impact.
Working as a news reporter and head of inclusion, and technology desks of Luv FM newsroom, he has experience in human rights, and investigative journalism, social work, and public relations.
Clinton is also a Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and Co-Develop Fellow for Digital Public Infrastructure Journalism; A Conflict, Security and Human Rights Reporting Fellow of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) and the Institute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR), whose storytelling shattered health, human and social mistreatments.
Shine Esi Kwawukumey
Shine Esi Kwawukumey is a dynamic communicator, storyteller, and founder of Tulips of Herald and Tulips Tales platforms that use creative narratives to inform, inspire, and celebrate Ghanaian culture. Passionate about social impact, advocacy, and communication, she blends storytelling with strategic insight to drive meaningful engagement.
A recipient of the 2024 Future Communicators Foundation Climate Award for her project Flood-Free Zone for Accra: Tackling Urban Flooding, Shine continues to merge creativity with purpose. Through the Next Generation Investigative Journalism Fellowship, she aims to strengthen her investigative storytelling skills, explore accountability-driven narratives, and contribute to shaping a more transparent and informed society.
Bright T. Terkpernor
Purpose-driven and relentless in his pursuit of truth, Bright Terkpernor has built his career on exposing misinformation and promoting ethical journalism. With a background in fact-checking and investigative reporting, he joins the NGIJ Fellowship to strengthen his anti-corruption reporting skills and produce stories that provoke dialogue and reform. Bright’s commitment to precision and integrity underscores his goal to contribute meaningfully to a more transparent and accountable society.
Juliet Etefe
Juliet Etefe is a business journalist and Online Editor at the Business and Financial Times (B&FT). With over five years of experience, she has written extensively on business, finance, the economy, climate change, entrepreneurship, gender, and development. She also reports on foreign affairs, focusing on diplomacy and development cooperation.
An alumna of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (UniMAC–IJ), Juliet is passionate about using journalism to promote transparency, equity, and sustainable development. As a fellow, she hopes to sharpen her skills in media safety, ethical reporting, and investigative journalism to produce stories that advance accountability and good governance.
Building the next generation of accountability journalists
Through the NGIJ Fellowship, MFWA continues to raise the next generation of investigative journalists who dare to question, investigate, and hold power to account while prioritising their own safety and professionalism.
By empowering these fellows with mentorship, investigative tools, and ethical guidance, the programme reinforces journalism’s role as a cornerstone of transparency and good governance in Ghana and beyond.
About the NGIJ Fellowship
Since its inception in 2021, the Next Generation Investigative Journalism (NGIJ) Fellowship has nurtured early-career journalists from across West Africa to produce impactful, fact-based, and accountability-driven stories. The Fellowship equips participants with investigative journalism, data journalism, and multimedia storytelling skills.
Fellows are selected through a competitive process involving aptitude tests and interviews and are hosted in Ghana for a three- to six-month intensive programme. Training includes mentorship with journalists from The Fourth Estate and Fact-Check Ghana, two MFWA public-interest journalism projects that promote transparency and accountability through evidence-based reporting.
