GNA needs a business-oriented leader

The Out-going Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana News Agency Dr. Bernard Otabil has said Ghana’s premier wire service needs a business-oriented leader to turn the fortunes of the Agency around to progressively execute its mandate..

He said the fortunes of the Agency was continually dwindling due to the irregular support by the Government, the traditional sponsor of the Agency, since its foundation as a public service body, on the eve of Ghana’s independence.

Dr. Otabil was at the Western Regional Office, in Takoradi, to officially announce his resignation from the Agency and to interact with the staff. He starts his terminal leave on July 4, 2016.  

The CEO said with the current financial situation, concentrating on the traditional rules and roles of the GNA’s establishment alone could not do the trick of improving the fortunes of the staff and operations of the Agency, in general.

“The GNA, therefore, needs a ‘Business-Oriented Leadership’ who could replicate other success stories in some media jurisdictions to bring back the almost lost glory of the Agency,” he said.

Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, established the wire service to function  as the preferred international hub of news and information, telling the African story from the African perspective in a speedy, objective and credible manner, towards fostering continental unity.

On the national scene, the GNA is to deliver that kind of professional standard news to other media outlets towards promoting equitable national development, unity and national cohesion, among others.   

Dr Otabil said at its peak performance, almost all the local media outlets, and some major international news organisations, partnered the Agency to receive news, which earned it the slogan: “No GNA, No News.”

“History has it that, staffs of the GNA were the envy of the colleagues in other state media institutions,” he recalled.

“They were paid on time, enjoyed some allowances associated with the risks of the job, received weekly “Kalamazoo” plus a conducive working environment, which motivated staff to climb higher and higher on the news ladder.

“But now, the fortunes of the Agency have changed and the GNA is neither the preferred choice of new entrants nor are the old staffs happy.”

Dr Otabil said there were lots of discrepancies between the salaries of staff of the Agency and those of other state-owned media houses, delayed promotions and above all, the lack of modern gadgets and equipment, which made journalism more interesting and speed bound.

He, however, noted that the Agency still had a good human resource base, in terms of editorial with experiences spanning 20 years and 30 years.

The staffs, he said, were doing a fantastic job, despite the present conditions , emphasising, “What the Agency lacks is the business mind to resuscitate it from its current state.”

Dr Otabil said the expenditure of the Agency continued to rise without any commiserate income to meet the current demand of the Agency.

“No money has been received from government over some time now, and so how do you run and operate without fund?”    

Dr. Otabil, however, encouraged the staff to continue to give of their best as the Agency looked forward to a revival.

“In these modern times, when information is critical to the survival of every entity, your role as a premier news source as well as your credibility are not in doubt and that is the more reason why you are still functioning, despite the technological and financial constraints."

Dr. Otabil said as he moved forward in his career path, the GNA would still be a “baby” that he would continue to nurture, support and feed with the needed nutrients to avoid it being perpetually malnourished.

“With my new appointment, I stand in a better stead to help the GNA and that is why I have to move,” he stated.

He lauded the massive support he had enjoyed over the last three and half years of his association with the Ghana News Agency.

Mrs. Felicia Yeboah-Akpoh, the Regional Manager, who would soon proceed on retirement, expressed appreciation to the management and staff for their support and cooperation.

She asked for more logistical support and motivation in order to enhance performance.


SOURCE: GNA