ABOUT GCPI

The idea of setting up the GCPI was inspired by an encounter Raymond Archer- winner of the Global Gold Medal of the 2002 Lorenzo Natali Prize for Excellence in Journalism and William Nyarko two time winner of the Best Investigative Journalism Award of the Ghana Journalists Association-had with Charles Lewis Founder and Director of the Washington based Centre for Public Integrity (CPI) in June 2002 in the United States.

Raymond and William were in the United States on a USAID sponsored fellowship programme at the Les Aspin Centre for Government, an influential Washington-based organization committed to training emerging leaders. As part of their training, the two investigative journalists visited the CPI where Lewis lectured on investigative journalism and public service journalism.

On their return to Ghana, Raymond and William discussed the possibility of establishing the GCPI with their colleague, Alfred Ogbamey, and when Raymond won the Lorenzo Natalie Award, it motivated them further to pool resources to establish the Centre.

The GCPI is registered under the laws of Ghana as a non-profit, non-governmental and non-partisan organisation with the following objectives;

• Promote the practice of investigative journalism in Ghana and the West Africa sub-region
• Build the capacity of journalists in investigative journalism, human rights and computer assisted reporting
• Provide a forum for interaction and networking between journalists, researchers and personnel in institutions of vertical and horizontal accountability
• Liase with local and international organisations that work to promote investigative journalism, higher journalistic standards, good governance and anti-corruption
• Provide a media resource centre for media training institutions, journalists and researchers
• Press for enhanced legislative environment for the practice of investigative journalism and
• Conduct research into governance issues, corruption, the management of public affairs and democratic consolidation

Our Staff

William Nyarko - Raymond Archer - Alfred Ogbamey

GCPI is a member of the Global Investigative Journalism Network, a group of independent journalism organizations that support the training and sharing of information among journalists in investigative and computer-assisted reporting. It was founded on May 4, 2003 at the end of the four-day 2nd Global Investigative Journalism Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The aim of the Global Investigative Journalism Network is to:

• help organize and promote regional and international conferences and workshops
• assist in the formation and continuation of journalism organizations involved in investigative reporting and computer-assisted reporting in all countries
• support and promote methods of best practices in investigative journalism and computer-assisted reporting
• support and promote efforts to ensure free access to public documents and data in every country
• provide resources and networking services for participating groups and for investigative journalists.
  

Only non-profit journalism organizations that support investigative or computer-assisted reporting can become members of The Global Investigative Journalism Network.
The Global Investigative Journalism Network is guided by a steering-committee composed of one representative from each participating organization. At all times, the network attempts to work through consensus. If necessary, votes are taken on decisions and those votes will require a three-fourths majority to prevail.
The network takes no political, religious or ideological stances. It encourages and coordinates training, resources for training, and networking services. It does not do investigations.
The Investigative Reporters and Editors, Inc (IRE) in the United States and the Danish Institute for Computer-Assisted Reporting (DICAR) provide administrative services for this network. The organizations provide the Website, which will offer listservs and link to other organizations' resources and help promote the member organizations' events and services.

MEMBERS

Abraji - Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism. Brazil
African Investigative Reporters, Africa region
Center for Developing of the Independent Journalism, Croatia
Center for Investigative Journalism, Nepal
Center for Investigative Journalism, UK
DICAR - Danish Institute for Computer-Assisted Reporting, Denmark
DJE - The Mid-Career Institute for Journalism, Denmark
DJH - The Danish School of Journalism, Denmark
EJC - European Journalism Centre, Europe
Free Media Movement of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka
Freedom of Information Center, US
FUJ - The Danish Association for Investigative Journalism, Denmark
GCPI- Ghana Center for Public Integrity, Ghana
Gräv - Grävände Journalister, Sweden
IJA - Investigative Journalists, Bulgaria
IJ - Institut for Journalistik, Norway
IMS - International Media Support, Denmark
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, a project of Center for Public Integrity, US

IRE - Investigative Reporters and Editors, US
IRE-Mexico/Periodistas de Investigacion, Mexico
Latvian Media Professionals Training Centre, Latvia
Mediacentar, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Media Focus, Serbia
NetMedia - Digital Media & Research, UK
Netzwerk Recherche, Germany
NSSJ - The Novi Sad School of Journalism, Serbia (Vojvodina)
Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, Phillipines
Romanian Centre for Investigative Journalism, Romania
SEENCAR - Southeast European Network for Computer-Assisted Reporting, Balkan Countries
SEENIR - Southeast European Network for Investigative Reporting, Balkan Countries
S.K.U.P - The Association for a Critical and Investigative Press, Norway
TJY - The Finnish Association for investigative Journalism, Finland
The Association of the Turkish International Press Institute, Turkey
VVOJ - Vereniging van Onderzoeksjournalisten, organisation of Dutchspeaking journalists in Flanders (Belgium) and the Netherlands
World Press Institute, US
Working groups from different countries