New Graphic board chaired by Prof Karikari inaugurated
The National Media Commission (NMC) on Monday inaugurated a nine-member Board of Directors for the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) in Accra with a call on them to help redefine the newspaper industry in Ghana.
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The members are to bring their varied professional expertise to bear on the development of the company, as well as the well-being of its employees.
The board is chaired by Prof. Kwame Karikari, a renowned professor in communication studies, with Ms Ajoa Yeboah-Afari, Mr Bismarck Emmanuel Badu, Mr Osei Afriyie, Dr Rita Larson Reindorf, Nana Otuo Acheampong, Dr Mawuli Adjei, Mr Mohammed Yusuf Twumasi and Ing. Kenneth Ashigbey as members.
Profile of members
Ms Ajoa Yeboah-Afari, a journalist, is presently the President of the Ghana Editors forum and was previously President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA). She writes the Native Daughter column in The Mirror newspaper, published by GCGL.
Mr Bismarck Emmanuel Badu is an expert in accounting and finance. He has experience in media and expertise in newspaper sales and distribution especially at the international level. He previously worked with the West Africa magazine in London, which was published by GCGL. He is presently the CEO of Supreme Concept.
Mr Osei Afriyie on his part is a journalism educator who taught at the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) for several years. He has written and published a number of books on media development.
Nana Otuo Acheampong is the CEO of Millennium Financial Centre and commonly known for his readiness to share his expertise on banking and finance issues and has contributed significantly to public understanding of the banking and finance sector.
Dr Mawuli Agyei is an academic and a member of the College of Humanities at the University of Ghana.
Dr Rita Larson Reindorf on her part is a medical doctor with considerable passion. She is a lecturer at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) Medical School and teaches at the Nursing Training College at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi.
Mr Mohammed Yusuh Twumasi, a chartered accountant, presently works as Director of Finance and Administration at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA).
Inaugurating the board, Baffour Kwasi Gyan Apenteng, chairman of the NMC, tasked the board to come up with innovations to help redefine the newspaper industry in Ghana, noting that the certainty that existed in the industry [newspapers] is fast disappearing.
He said newspaper audiences were declining and newspapers were losing the prestige that they previously enjoyed.
“Today newspapers are at a disadvantage compared to other channels of communication… there is a new audience that does things differently, there is a new economics and finance model to which you must adapt or die," he noted.
Adding, he said newspapers in Ghana these days are unable to excite audiences and have lost the powerful voice with which they spoke for centuries.
“Our challenge to Graphic today is that …it must begin the process of redefining the role and indeed the future of newspapers not only in our country but in the sub region as it once did... the opportunity to reclaim territory" he added.
In his acceptance speech, Professor Kwame Karikari pledged to ensure that the Board established a cohesive team, involving everybody for success.
He said they would study the organisation, identify all the challenges and progress that has been made and build on it.
“I want to assure the chairman of the National Media Commission that this is not the kind of board, where individuals go in with their egos, for the simple reason that it is a public board and none of us has any personal stake, except, the stake we all have is respect for the public.
“If we mess up, we gain disrespect, but if we do a good job, that is the reward that we are all likely to have from the public and therefore we cannot come in with egotistic attitude, we will work hard and build on the progress that has already been made.”
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