By Jibril Abdul Mumuni
Accra, Oct. 2, GNA – The Ghana News Agency (GNA) has renewed its appeal to the government to retain 100 per cent of its Internally Generated Funds (IGF) to reinvest in its operations and compete effectively in the global digital media space.
Mr. Albert Kofi Owusu, the General Manager of the GNA, made the call when the Board of the National Media Commission (NMC) paid a familiarisation visit to the Agency in Accra.
He explained that as a fully subvented organisation, GNA relied on government funding, which was often inadequate and irregular, necessitating internal revenue generation to supplement its budget.
Mr. Owusu noted that after years of proposals, the Agency was initially granted a 33 per cent retention of its IGF, which was later increased to the current 50 per cent.
“We say that even that is not enough. For us to be able to do a lot more, we need to plough back what we generate and invest in our operations because we need to buy equipment. These things are very expensive,” he stated.
The General Manager elaborated that the Agency was moving into the digital media space, producing video content for television and audio for radio, which required significant investment.
“We are saying that the state should oblige us and give us the full 100 per cent… so that we will plough it back into operations and invest in doing many things to generate more money for the state,” Mr. Owusu said.
He revealed that the proposal had been forwarded to the Ministry of Finance through the Office of the Minister of Government Communications, and expressed the hope that it would receive favourable attention.
Mr. Owusu also used the opportunity to advocate for broader state support for all state-owned media, arguing that they had a distinct mandate to promote national cohesion, which sets them apart from private, profit-oriented media outlets.
He spoke about the interventions that the Management and staff had made through the years to the Agency running, amid the challenges.
He stated that it was important to resource the Agency with modern news service equipment, train and remunerate the staff to deliver credible and important information towards building a progressive nation with well informed citizens.
The Ghana News Agency was established on 5th March 1957, the eve of Ghana’s independence.
It was tasked by its founder, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, to lead the crusade for Ghana’s modernisation, national cohesion, the liberation of the African continent and pan Africanism.
Dr Nkrumah’s vision was also to have Ghana News Agency correspondents in major cities across the globe to report on international issues from the Ghanaian perspective.
After Nkrumah’s overthrow, several successive governments have struggled to appreciate the role of a national news agency in national building, development and cohesion.
However, the 1992 constitution has given GNA and the state media the specific task of offering an accessible platform to all Ghanaians to air their aspirations, views and ideas for the creation of a free, just and progressive democratic society.
GNA
Edited by Samuel Osei-Frempong