With nine years of experience as a broadcast journalist and news anchor at TV3 Network, Portia Gabor nee Solomon has carved a niche for herself reporting mainly on under-reported issues affecting a majority of Ghanaians.
This has earned her major awards including the 2010 Ghana Journalist Awards for Best TV News Reporter and the 2012 Ghana Journalist Awards for HIV and Health Reporting.
Portia (Gabor) was a finalist at the 2011 CNN/Multichoice Africa Journalist Awards. She was highly commended for her story Drug Peddling in Rural Ghana.
Online journalist Nana Afrane Asante (NAA) caught up with her and the following is what ensued between them:
NAA: What motivates you?
PG: God motivates me and I hate to see injustice and people suffer in society so in order to correct these wrongdoings it motivates me to do something for society to become a better place.
NAA: What are your hobbies?
PG: I crochet. I have been crocheting since I was a child. I got deeper into it when I gave birth because I was at home and wasn’t doing much so I picked the crocheting pin and by the time I realised I was making shoes, key holders, babies’ dresses and stuff like that. I never knew I could crochet so well until I gave birth. My daughter has been a miracle.
NAA: What do you do to relax?
PG: I sleep. I have a baby and I keep waking up at night so I sleep when I have a little time to relax.
NAA: Favourite music?
PG: I don’t really have any particular favourite music but I love country music (Carrie Underwood) and Don Moen.
NAA: First kiss?
PG: Hmmm, I don’t remember.
NAA: First car?
PG: My first car was a Hyundai Accent
NAA: First job?
PG: TV3 Network Limited and I have been here for 9 years.
NAA: Favourite fashion item?
PG: I love to dress like Kate Middleton and I am just crazy about her. I’m a fan of hers and I have been following the [UK] Royals since I was a child after my grandmother gave me a book about the late Princess Diana and ever since I have been a big fan of the Royal family. I remember being glued to my TV set when the Royal wedding was taking place and I must say I just love the Duchess of Cambridge’s dresses and I sometimes style my hair just as she does. I would definitely love to meet her.
NAA: Favourite chocolate or fruit?
PG: My favourite fruit is grapes and chocolate will be Golden tree coffee flavoured chocolate.
NAA: Favourite radio and TV station?
PG: TV3, CNN, BBC for TV and 3FM for radio
NAA: Favourite sport?
PG: Football
NAA: Favourite family member?
PG: My mum…she’s always been there for me.
NAA: Favourite food?
PG: Fufu and light soup with goat meat. I just love it.
NAA: Favourite place of holiday?
PG: Senchi in Ghana
NAA: First thing you do when you wake up?
PG: I pray (Thank you Jesus)
NAA: Last thing you do before you go to bed?
PG: I pray (Thank you Jesus)
NAA: The worst moment you’ve had on the job?
PG: This was on an assignment somewhere in the Volta Region when I was working on a story about two children who had died whiles crossing a river. In order to make the story real I had to join the subsequent children on the boat to the other side to feel the experience so we had a trip accompanied by my colleague Thomas Adotei Pappoe, who had never been on a boat before. Thomas suddenly jumped when we got somewhere in the middle of the river and for a second I thought the boat was about to capsize. I can tell you that my soul left my body and I just thought I was going to die but the fisherman found a way to maneuver the boat to safety. I have never been on a boat since then.
Credit: Nana Afrane Asante|3news.com|Ghana