By Priscilla Oye Ofori/ Dorphina Ansah
Accra, Jan 20, GNA — The Ghana Publishers Association (GPA), a non-profit making trade association of book publishers, has sworn into office an eleven-member Council to run its affairs for the next three years.
It has Mr Asare Konadu Yamoah as the President, Mr Edward Yaw Udzu, Vice President, Mr Kwabena Agyepong, Honorary Treasurer, Mr Dan Konoh Odei, Honorary Secretary, Ms Harriet Tagoe, Council Member, Mr Emmanuel Nyarko, Council Member and Mr Stephen Brobbey, Council Member.
The rest are: Nana Yaa Boatemaa Agyekum-Hene, Council Member, Mrs Adwoa Serwaa Opoku, Council Member, Dr Ralph Nyadu-Addo, Co-opted Member and Ms Pamela Woode, Ex Officio Member.
Mr Justice Stephen Oppong, a Justice of the Court of Appeal, swore in the Council.
Mr Yamoah called on members of the Association to shelf individualism and have a united front to make the industry one of which many people found their opportunities and dignity.
He urged them to be focused and worked to surmount every challenge that the industry faced to push their aspirations.
‘‘We may have such desperate circumstances confronting us that we are ready to cringe in fear and give up all effort for, which we have worked so far. In the midst of these happenings, it is important that we have composure and patience, ’’ the President stated.
The cardinal responsibility of leadership, he said, was commitment to service, adding that usually, the leader was not the most brilliant amongst them but the demonstration of commitment was what made every leadership stand out.
The President assured that the Council was committed to serve, however, he asked for support and encouragement to drive it to work for the growth of the Association as well as to promote the course of its advocacy.
Mr Yamoah appealed to parents to provide their children with supplementary books for the meantime to enhance their education since the development of children by way of literacy and reading and development of the mind was a shared responsibility.
Mrs Ernesticia Lartey Asuinura, Executive Director, Ghana Book Development Council, acknowledged that by dint of the country’s hard work, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) named Ghana as the World Book Capital for 2023.
She encouraged members of the Association to continue to play their respective roles in their endeavour to promote its work and development.
The Ghana Publishers Association formally came into being on 10th March, 1976 as a registered Non-Governmental Organisation.
The beginning of the Ghana Publishers Association (GPA) dates back to 1973, when the membership was mainly of local representatives of overseas, mostly British publishing multinationals.
GNA