NMC inaugurates new board of directors for Graphic Communications Group Ltd
The Chairman of the National Media Commission, Mr Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh, has asked the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) to take the lead in preserving Ghana’s history through its reportage.
According to him, the GCGL, the biggest print media in Ghana, had the onus in chronicling the happenings in the country for both referencing and for future generations.
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He was of the view that newspaper publications served as the first draft of history and that the GCGL being a major state-owned print media house in Ghana, ought to take interest in all national issues.
Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh made the call when he inaugurated a new governing board for Graphic in Accra on Thursday [January 16, 2020].
“The newspaper is the first draft of history and if it fails to record an event, it will be lost on generations,” he said.
He added “I hope that Graphic (GCGL) will take the lead in all the things that we (as a country) do; we (GCGL) will take pride in that.”
He explained that because of the prominence GCGL had attained and the respect people have for the company, even lettered people refer to every newspaper in the country as Graphic.
The Daily Graphic, which is the flagship newspaper of the GCGL is commonly called Graphic in Ghana by its readers, a name which has become synonymous with newspapers.
New Board
The members of the new Board are Professor Kwame Karikari who is a lecturer in Communication Studies as Chairman, Dr. Rita Larsen-Reindorf; a Consultant Surgeon at the Department of Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) and a part-time lecturer at the School of Medical Sciences, University of Cape Coast and the ENT Nursing School at KATH in Kumasi., Alhaji Mohammed Yusuf Twumasi, Director of Finance at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Dr Kwame Nyamakye; a consultant in management and a lecturer at the Methodist University College, Mrs Ivy Ruby Austin; a professional Librarian, Mr Daniel Addai; a lawyer and Senior Associate at Davies & Davis, Dr Valentine Kwasi Mensah; an accounting and management expert in the gold and oil sector, M. Paul Osei Barima; Registrar at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) and Mr Ato Afful, Managing Director of GCGL.
Hope
Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh urged the management and the board to always do things with the future of the company in mind.
“It is important that in whatever that we do, we must look at the future; we should never do things that at the end of the day will kill the spirit of people in business.”
“Whatever obligation we are performing, we must do it to the best of our ability so that when we look back, we can say that we did our best; and even if our best is not enough, for as long as our conscience tells us that we did what we ought to have done, we will be free from any liability,” he added.
He has, therefore, charged the board to work to better the fortunes of the company, saying “we want to assure you the members of the board that we at the NMC have appointed you to this board because we know the capacity that you have.”
Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh, however, cautioned the board to in the discharge of its duties take over the work of the management of the company.
“We will support you to discharge your responsibility as board but we will not support you to take over the responsibility of management,” he stated.
Board Chairman
Prof. Kwame Karikari expressed the gratitude of the board to the NMC for the confidence reposed in them to serve on the company’s board.
He pledged that the board would work with management and all major stakeholders to better the fortunes of the company.
Graphic MD
The Managing Director of the company, Mr Ato Afful, in his welcome address took the opportunity to inform the board about the company’s upcoming 70th anniversary.
He said a lot had changed about the media landscape, particularly with newspapers and that the company’s transitioning from mainly a newspaper brand to a digital platform, was critical to its survival and development.
He, therefore, expressed the hope that the new board would help the company to remain profitable and relevant in the changing media world.
Prof Kwame Karikari - Chairman of Graphic Board
Mr Ato Afful - MD, GCGL
Mrs Ruby Ivy Austin
Mr Daniel Addai
Mr Paul Osei Barimah
Dr Rita Larsen-Reindorf
Dr Kwame Nyamekye
Dr Valentine Kwasi Mensah
Alhaji Mohammed Yusuf Twumasi
Mr Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh - Chairman of NMC