GNA, TIMES, GBC boards inaugurated

The National Media Commission (NMC) has inaugurated governing boards of three state-owned media houses in Accra.

The media houses are the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), New Times Corporation (NTC) and Ghana News Agency (GNA).

The members of the board for the GBC, chaired by Professor Emmanuel Adow-Obeng, include Mrs Efua Ghartey, Mr Henry Kanor, Alhaji Alhassan Abdulai, Professor Samuel A.Y. Debrah, Dr Sarah Dsane, Dr Charles Kwening, Mr Forson Osei Bonsu, Mr Yaw Owusu Obeng, and Professor Amin Alhassan.

For the New Times Corporation (NTC), the members are very Reverend Ama Afo-Blay, who retained her position as the Board Chair, Mr Yaw Awuku Lokko, Mr Alex Kwadwo Boateng, Mr Albert Sam, Prof. E.K. Quashigah, Dr Kwaku Rockson, Mrs Victoria Natsu, Mr Donald Gwira and Mr Martin Adu-Owusu, Acting Managing Director, NTC.

The Acting Dean, School of Continuing and Distance Education, University of Ghana, Professor Olivia Kwapong, is chairperson of the GNA board, with Mr Albert Kofi Owusu, Mr Ransford Tetteh, Mr Charles Acheampong, Madam Doris Adabasu Kuwornu, Mr Peter Claver Nibepwo Sangber-Dery, Mr Michael Antwi Agyei, and Dr Francis Grant Kwesi Gbormittah as members.

GBC event

At the inauguration of the GBC board, the Chairman of the NMC, Mr Yaw Boadu Ayeboafoh, charged the new board to ensure that the corporation regained its lost glory.

He said the NMC would not interfere or undermine the work of the board.

He also urged the staff of the corporation to cooperate with both management and the board to ensure that the corporation would become more successful in its operations.

The Director-General of the GBC, Professor Amin Alhassan, expressed the hope that the new board would help to reposition the corporation, saying “GBC is ripe for change.”

For his part, Prof. Adow-Obeng said the board was aware of the challenges confronting the corporation and pledged that it would pool the expertise available to ensure that the state broadcaster “becomes a tool for nation-building and education.”

He stated: “We must all find innovative ways of bringing GBC back to its former glory. We will also protect the institutional image of the corporation.”

New Times Corporation

At the New Times Corporation, Mr Ayeboafoh challenged the staff, management and the board to work harmoniously to change the fortunes of the corporation.

He also cautioned that the NMC would not countenance any breach of the peaceful working environment from any quarters.

He said the NMC’s doors were open for consultation, but cautioned about the propensity of undermining one another and the act of usurping authority without adherence to laid down process.

Very Rev. Afo-Blay in her remarks thanked the NMC for reposing confidence in the board to turn things around for the corporation, adding that having served on the previous board, she had gathered enough experience to tackle issues in a more fruitful manner to bring rapid progress.

For his part, the acting managing director said it was a relief that the board was finally in place to kick-start the process of rebuilding the corporation since management was constrained to make any major decision on capital investments.

 Mr Ayeboafoh congratulating the new board members of the New Times Corporation

GNA event

Speaking at the GNA inauguration, the NMC chairman admonished the board and management to manage the resources of the agency.

He also urged them to take advantage of the agency’s facilities in the regions and its products to turn its fortunes around.

He further appealed to newspaper organisations to make it a point to renew their licence of GH¢100 to help build a healthy and better Ghana.

The General Manager of the GNA, Mr Albert Kofi Owusu, noted that as a public service organisation that was dependent on government subvention, the agency had suffered from inadequate funding and a lack of investment for many years which had had considerable effects on the agency’s operations and often called its relevance into question.

“However, we believe the GNA remains relevant for as long as Ghana remains a nation-state. The vision for setting it up is still relevant and important. The agency works to promote national growth and the Ghanaian personality and identity,” he said.