Elizabeth Ohene edits Daily Graphic Thursday

A former Minister of State and Government Spokesperson, Ms Elizabeth Ohene, has advised the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) and its brands to remain true to the values of independence, truth and accuracy.

She said the Daily Graphic, the flagship of the company, should maintain its fairness and objectivity in order to sustain the public confidence in the brand.

Ms Ohene, who is also a former acting Editor of the Daily Graphic, returns to the paper as Guest Editor on Thursday, August 27, many years after leaving that role.

She commended the paper for sustaining the public confidence in it.

Editorial conference

As guest editor, Ms Ohene is expected to chair the editorial conference.

“The Daily Graphic is a brand that took its responsibilities seriously and has, over the years, maintained its balance and neutrality,” she said.
The former acting editor advised reporters at the GCGL to always use modern technology, such as mobile phones, to fact-check information before publication.

That, she said, would enhance the speed and accuracy of the papers.

Ms Ohene, who said at a point in her career she wanted to become a sports reporter, said many people, during her time, saw the Daily Graphic as government-controlled, but the paper had always maintained its space, although it was state-owned.

State owned

“There are many people who still see the Daily Graphic as government-controlled, but the paper has demonstrated that although it is state-owned, it is not government controlled,” she said.

The former BBC producer and anchor is the third personality to serve as guest editor in the series initiated as part of activities to mark the 70th anniversary of the GCGL and its flagship brand, the Daily Graphic.

She said the GCGL brands had never lost sight of the fact that the newspaper industry was also a business which must be managed to sustain itself.

Newsprint scarcity

She recounted that during her time at Graphic, newsprint for the publication was a big deal, saying: “It was simply difficult to come by and so we had to publish between 12 and 16 pages daily.”

“We took a decision not to publish funeral announcements due to the lack of space,” she said.

Ms Ohene's association with the Daily Graphic began in 1967 when she worked with the paper as a reporter and rose through the ranks to become Staff Writer, Columnist, Leader Writer and acting Editor of the Daily Graphic and The Mirror, before her exit in 1982.

She said she created the space to be able to learn and practise under the tutelage of Ken Bediako when she wanted to become a sports reporter.
She also mentioned senior colleagues such as Perigrino Peters, D.A. Okine and Eben Quarcoo who had inspired her at Graphic.

Guest Editor series

The guest editor initiative took off last May and has seen the Managing Director of Stanbic Bank Ghana Limited and President of the Ghana Association of Bankers (GAB), Mr Alhassan Andani, and the General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Dr Yaw Baah, appearing as the first and the second guest editors, respectively.

Many other high-profile personalities have been pencilled in for the role in the run-up to the climax of the Platinum Jubilee celebration of the group in October.