Let’s write a new Graphic story — Ransford Tetteh

The acting Managing Director of the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), Mr Ransford Tetteh, has urged staff of the company to craft a new story that will reflect improved fortunes of the company.

“What we have to do now is to try and craft a new story – one that is exciting; has to be authored so we can enjoy it. But who are the authors of this new story? We have to author it. We authored the good old days that we now miss so much and we can do it again,” he told the workers.

Addressing staff at a durbar in Accra yesterday, on the theme: “Truth above Harmony”, Mr Tetteh told staff that for the company to get back to its winning ways, they needed to uphold discipline, work hard, change work ethics, expose those who pilfer and others who used the company’s time and resources for selfish ends.

“Those who do this are selfish and don’t wish us well,” he stated, calling on staff not to shield them.

“We need an attitude change to get back to the winning ways but most importantly a shift from the way we do things,” he stressed.

Challenges
Mr Tetteh also told the durbar that current challenges the company was experiencing included the high cost and, sometimes, the unavailability of news print and the huge debts owed the company by clients.

He said a task force formed since January this year had been able to collect GH¢3.1 million and expressed the hope that the task force would collect more of the debt owed by the end of the year.

“I will sanction radical measures if we agree that they are appropriate and will be efficient enough to help us recover the debts,” he pledged, adding “some of the debtors had been denied the opportunity to advertise in our brands till they had made some payments.”

On how management of the company was dealing with pilfering in the company, Mr Tetteh said “In the next two to three weeks, workers would see some sweeping actions to deal with the issue.”

He, therefore, warned those involved in nefarious activities to mend their ways or face the wrath of management.

Touching on the future prospects of the company, Mr Tetteh said as a result of the challenges posed to newspapers by social media, coupled with the high cost and unavailability of printing materials, the move now was towards digitisation.

He asked the workers to believe in Graphic and stay committed to ensuring the success of that endeavour.

Union concerns

Speaking to issues that the Graphic Workers Union found disturbing, the acting Union Chairman, Mr William Ashaley, mentioned challenges of the recently introduced Graphic application, as well as some work on the Graphiconline default browser that had still not been done.

He prayed management to address issues concerning the recruitment of new staff to fill vacant positions, instead of making qualified staff occupy such positions, among other concerns.

Staff who had worked with GCGL for 10 years and above were awarded for their services.
They included a reporter, Nana Konadu Agyeman, who had been with the company for 10 years; the Director of Newspapers, Mr Yaw Boadu- Ayeboafo, 15 years, after his return from the National Media Commission; the acting Editor of Graphic Sports, Mr Maurice Quansah and Roseline Amoh, Graphic Sports - 20 years and a photojournalist, Mr Ebo Hanson - 30 years.

Writer’s email: edmund.asante@graphic.com.gh