Graphic Communications Group Ltd launches Digital Archive spanning over 70 years

The Graphic Communications Group Ltd (GCGL) has unveiled its meticulously curated Digitalised Archive, a comprehensive collection of the group's invaluable work spanning over seventy years.

The culmination of a two-year collaboration between GCGL and TechGulf Ghana, the archive is accessible through a subscription on the Graphic Online website [www.graphic.com.gh] . It is designed not only to safeguard the company's extensive archival material but also to facilitate easy access for stakeholders.

Encompassing the entirety of the company's newspaper publications and exclusive photographs from 1950 to 2000, the archive stands as a testament to the GCGL's enduring legacy.

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Launch

During the launch ceremony in Accra on Wednesday, the Minister of Information and Member of Parliament for Ofoase Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, commended GCGL and its partners for their diligent efforts in digitising the company's archives, providing a robust platform for research endeavours. 

He lauded the Board and Management of the GCGL for their forward-looking investment in the company's future.

He said,  "We talk a lot about innovation in this country and the fact that businesses need to innovate or die and sometimes we just pay lip service to this concept but to see before our very eyes a Ghanaian business embrace innovation so boldly and to move forward with. And to see before our eyes a Ghanaian business that sometimes people think will not innovate; a state-owned enterprise to innovate and move forward in this manner is something that we can all appreciate...".

The Minister, who visited GCGL's Archiving Centre in June 2023, was deeply impressed by the advanced indexing technology employed in the archive. 

He noted its remarkable ability to retrieve events based on specific dates, such as those surrounding the May 9 Disaster, and the subsequent re-categorization of football matches.

Mr. Oppong Nkrumah highlighted that the Digitalised Archive would be particularly beneficial to three key groups: academics and educational institutions, brand managers, and media organisations.

Vision

The Managing Director of GCGL, Ato Afful, expressed his excitement about how the Digitalised Archive would unveil the nation's rich history and achievements. 

He urged everyone to explore the archive, which offers a vivid perspective on Ghana's journey from the colonial past to present-day independence.

He remarked, "I find this information source to be an exceptionally engaging content grid that I encourage all of you to peruse, and to urge your family and friends to do the same, so they can learn from it and be inspired by it."

Mr. Afful also commended GCGL's partners at TechGulf for employing locally trained, young Ghanaian talent in establishing the archive.

He pointed out that other institutions, such as national archives and universities, could benefit from the expertise developed in this endeavour.

"In the end, there will be a paywall for users worldwide, utilizing an IP system and registration to save time and travel costs in accessing the archive," he added, urging media houses and journalists to tap into this valuable resource for research and to generate compelling content.

Archive

The CEO of TechGulf, Mr. Franklin Asare disclosed that over the past 18 months, 2,000 photographs and newspaper archives dating from 1950 to the year 2000 have been digitised with six months left to complete the project.

He said the indexing function of the archive would generate revenue for the GCGL that would be comparable to the newspaper section of the group.

Mr Asare said he was grateful for the opportunity given to his outfit by the GCGL to participate in the historic archiving project.

He added that the global reach of the archive was not only economically empowering but would also serve as the bedrock of academic research in the country.