News
GJA executives call on The Spectator Editor
The National Executives of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) last Thursday paid a courtesy call on the Editor of The Spectator, Mrs Georgina N. M Quaittoo in Accra.
The meeting discussed the welfare of journalists and ways to improve their living conditions and challenges facing major media houses including the New Times Corporation (NTC), publishers of The Spectator and The Ghanaian Times newspapers.
The president of the GJA, Mr Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, hinted that the executives of the association will meet the President, John Dramani Mahama, to discuss a few matters in the media industry.
According to Mr Dwumfour, at an earlier engagement with the President, he demonstrated his commitment to improve the living conditions of journalists and ensure that state-owned media houses were well-equipped.
“So we have come here to know at first hand some of your challenges in terms of production, attrition rate, and the form of support you need from the government,” he said.
He said it was common knowledge that, in recent times a lot of the corporation’s staff had resigned while others are furthering their education.
He indicated that the challenges facing the state-owned-media houses were common after touring the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and Graphic Communications Group.
Mr Dwumfour asked the Editors of the Ghanaian Times and The Spectator to present a paper on challenges confronting the corporation and support needed from government “to bring the corporation back to life.”
Responding, Mrs Quaittoo said the challenges affecting the corporation were numerous, saying, for over 30 years, the corporation had not received any support from governments.
She explained that the corporation pays itself, saying “if we don’t generate enough revenue then workers salary will delay.
Mrs Quaittoo also said retooling the corporation is also a major challenge.
She said due to the challenges confronting the corporation, most of the staff have resigned leaving the newsrooms virtually empty, while some subscribers are also not paying on time.
Present at the meeting were the GJA Vice President, Linda Asante Agyei; General Secretary, Kofi Yeboah; Public Relations Officer Rebecca Ekpe; Organising Secretary Dominic Hlordzi and Treasurer Audrey Dekalu.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu