GJA President Albert Kwamena Dwumfuor has disclosed that President John Mahama has assured him that before the close of this year, all state-owned media houses will be retooled and the workers will be given better conditions of service.
He said President John Mahama gave him the assurance after he (Dwumfuor) had presented a paper to the President on what needs to be done to improve the lot of journalists in the country.
According to him, following the presentation of his paper, President Mahama directed the Minister of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu to work with the GJA leadership to get clarity on what needs to be done so that before the close of the year, government will intervene.
“So I can assure you that before the close of this year you will see concrete government interventions in the areas of retooling the state-owned media like Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Graphic Communications Group and Ghanaian Times, as well as better conditions of services for the workers,” he said.
He said the GJA is not oblivious to the challenges facing the three state-owned media organization and that was why their concerns were very high on high agenda when he met with President Mahama, adding that he was absolutely confident the President, who is a member of the GJA, will make good his promise.
Albert Dwumfuor made the disclosure during his campaign tour which took him and his team to GBC, Graphic Communications Group and Multimedia today. He is running for a second and final three-year term in office.
Press Centre Rehabilitation
The GJA President also stated the he has received concrete assurance from the President Mahama that before the close of the year, GJA will be given the title to the land on which the International Press Centre is located so that GJA can commence the construction of a proper modern facility befitting of its status.
He said the association has already secured a partner who is ready to invest in building an ultra-modern edifice to house the GJA.
Private Media
Touching on efforts to improve the conditions of journalists in the private media space, Albert Dwumfuor said through his instrumentality, the GJA, together with the Private Newspaper and Online Association of Ghana (PRINPAG), Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and New Media Association (bloggers) have formed the National Media Coalition to ensure that all media practitioners are doing their work professionally and working together to protect and promote their common interest.
He said, through that forum, there are ongoing engagements with the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), who are private media owners, to find ways of improving the lot of journalists working with the various private media houses.
Albert Dwumfuor is confident that all these efforts and intervention will yield positive results for the fraternity, just like his spirited defence of the rights of journalist in the last three years has made the GJA gain its past glory and it has become attractive again.
Speaking of the attractiveness of the GJA, the President noted that over the last three years, more than 600 persons have applied to join the GJA without any membership drive, and more than 300 of them have been approved and made members.
“This is how attractive the GJA has come because journalists are now confident that my administration is one that fights for the rights of journalists and we have also secured exchange programs which has benefitted journalists across the state and private media, and we have also secured a five-year full scholarship at Wisconson University for journalists who want to further their studies,” he said.
Albert Dwumfuor is seeking re-election for a second and final term as GJA President. The election is slated for June 30, 2025 and he is number one on the ballot paper
