We are ready to face anybody who has issues with the award of Anas Aremeyaw Anas as 2015 best journalist of the year in court.

This is the response of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) to critics who argue Anas should not be awarded.

Speaking to Accra-based Unique FM, President of the GJA Affail Monney said: “Our lawyers are ready to back us up in court if it really becomes necessary.” He argued that they are ready to defend the decision “either in the law court or anywhere. We will refer the matter to our lawyers who are ready to address it.”

READ ALSO: Dery "can't think far" about Anas Aremeyaw's award

Monney defended the GJA’s decision to award Anas saying even the people “on the street will agree that as far as 2015 was concerned Anas is the best journalist.”

“In terms of what he did, in terms of what he has done and in terms of what he stands for in journalism. Let me explain that we select the best journalist based on a certain criteria and one is that it doesn’t take the number of awards you win for you to be crowned the best among the best in Ghana. We look at your body of works and this work must ignite conversations not only among the media but also among the generality of media consumers. Anas was outstanding, one of the best investigative journalists the world has ever produced.”

Monney explained that a journalist does not have to necessarily submit an entry before been adjudged the best for the year.

READ ALSO: Find out the award winners at the GJA awards

He also disputed the notion that the person with the most awards at the event must necessarily win the best journalist of the year.

“It is not the number of awards you win. Someone can win five, someone can win nine but the fellow who wins none can be crowned the best journalist of the year. Based on the quality of his work, his track record and also the impact of his work and not only one work but the body of works. This is one criterion we have been using all over the years,” Monney added.

Justice Paul Dery, one of the High Court judges in Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ corruption expose’ accused the GJA of contempt of Court for adjudging Anas as the best journalist of the year.

According to a statement signed by the lawyer for Justice Dery,  "the Supreme Court of this Nation has stated that the actions of Anas Aremeyaw Anas and Tiger Eye PI are unlawful in respect of showing that video to the general public, were unconstitutional and a slap in the face of common sense."

Subsequently, the lawyer for the interdicted High Court Judge, says his client will pursue legal action against the GJA for awarding investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, as Journalist of the Year on Saturday.