By Eric Appah Marfo
Accra, Dec. 8, GNA – Mr Ato Afful, Managing Director of the Graphic Communications Group Ltd (GCGL), has appealed to Government for support to retool the Company’s 15-year-old printing press to enhance efficiency and sustain operations.
He said at the centre of Graphic’s operations was a German-manufactured KBA printing press commissioned in 2012 which, though still fit for purpose, required retooling to address frequent breakdowns.
Mr Afful made the appeal on Thursday when President John Dramani Mahama paid a working visit to the Company to acquaint himself with its operational challenges and ongoing transformation efforts.
“It is not a dead press. It just needs retooling to ensure that it can continue to serve the newspaper business and commercial printing such as books and other materials,” he said.
The President also visited the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and the Ghana Publishing Company Limited as part of a tour of public media institutions.
Mr Afful said although Graphic had made significant progress in digital transformation, print remained the backbone of the Company’s business and revenue generation.
“We have a clear strategy of extracting as much value from the print base to support and drive our digital initiatives because that is where our revenues come from,” he said.
He noted that Graphic was not a state-subvented organisation and paid its own salaries, making it imperative to generate internal resources to sustain both print and digital operations.
Mr Afful said the retooling exercise would require an estimated €800,000 and would enable the Company to meet deadlines, expand commercial printing and improve customer satisfaction.
The press, he said, had the capacity to print about 40,000 books per hour and remained one of the most efficient web presses in the country and the sub-region.
He also drew attention to rising operational costs, including logistics, rent and vehicle maintenance, noting that nationwide distribution across all 16 regions had become increasingly expensive.
“In the last 18 months alone, some of our vehicles have required engine replacements, and these costs affect our margins significantly,” he said.
Mr Afful further mentioned challenges with outdated enterprise and reporting systems, which affected billing accuracy, regulatory reporting and customer confidence.
On digital innovation, he said Graphic had digitised its archives from 1950 to date and was developing artificial intelligence-compatible systems to maximise the value of its historical content.
He also appealed for Government support in the form of working capital to ease cash-flow constraints and facilitate timely procurement of spare parts and logistics.
Mr Afful called for Government intervention to enable Graphic to participate in textbook printing through appropriate copyright arrangements with the Ghana Education Service (GES), noting that printed textbooks remained essential despite the growth of digital learning.
Responding, President Mahama commended Graphic for maintaining its credibility and leadership in Ghana’s media landscape, describing the brand as a national standard.
“Graphic remains the leading and most trusted newspaper in this country. Even when people read news elsewhere, they come back to Graphic to authenticate it,” he said.
The President acknowledged the global challenges facing the newspaper industry due to technological changes and assured management that Government would explore ways to support the retooling of the printing press.
“As the sole shareholder, it is something we can look at and see how to support you so the press can serve you for another 15 to 20 years,” he said.
He also directed that some Government advertising and textbook printing opportunities be channelled to Graphic to help strengthen its revenue base.
President Mahama assured management that Cabinet would consider measures to recapitalise public media institutions to enable them to remain viable and relevant in the changing media environment.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey