GJA to champion the restitution of GNA

The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) will work with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) to mobilise the requisite resources for wire service to up its operational efficiency in imparting essential information for nation building and cohesion.

Mr Roland Affail Monney, the President of the GJA, who announced this, explained that abandoning a national asset such as the GNA to collapse would be detrimental to the nation in view of its critical role in setting standards for journalism practice and using information to propel national development.

He was speaking at a meeting of the GJA national executives with the leadership of the GNA, headed by Mr Albert Kofi Owusu, the General Manager, at the Agency’s headquarters in Accra.

The meeting was also to congratulate Mr Owusu on his appointment, invite the GNA to participate in the activities to mark the GJA’s 70th Anniversary, which would be launched on Tuesday, May 28; as well as to console the Agency on the loss of its iconic former Supervising Chief Editor, Mr Edward Yao Ameyibor.

Mr Monney said it was important to do everything to assist the GNA to regain its leadership and lost momentum – bring back the days when boasted of a galaxy of star reporters, across the country and beyond and had the technical and logistical wherewithal to gather, process and disseminate its accurate and objective information with speed to its subscribers.

It had become necessary to engage all stakeholders to help the GNA to effectively perform as a national news agency.

“We have to bring on board, especially the professionals who left the Agency to seek greener pasture when times became rough because the GNA invested in them to gain the value that made them competitive to move on,” he added.

“Mr Owusu, we believe that there is a divine purpose for the GNA to have you as the right man in the right place at the right time, for you to lead this endeavour, and the GJA is ready to work with you”.

He also praised the GNA’s role in growing the GJA, saying, one or more journalists had consistently served in the national executive in every tenure.

Mr Owusu, in welcoming the collaboration, said the proposal was in line with what was being planned by the Agency to leverage its stature in credibility with modern technology to lead the media in the path of professional and impactful journalism.

The bane of the Agency, over the period had been mainly the lack of resources to keep pace with technological advancement.

Fortunately, he said, the Minister of Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, believed in the vision of the GNA to promote the Ghanaian and African Agenda for the prosperity and peace of all citizens and pledged his commitment to assist in the revamping efforts.

Mrs Linda Asante Agyei, the Vice President, Mr Edmund Kofi Yeboah, the General Secretary, Ms Mary Mensah, the Public Affairs Officer and Mrs Audrey Dekalu, the Treasurer of the GJA, attended the meeting.

Ms Mensah, on behalf of the Association, presented five copies of the Right To Information Manual to the GNA for its journalists to use as a guide.