NMC holds workshop for State-media Boards
A renowned management Consultant, Mr. Yao Klinogo on Friday tasked Boards of State-owned media organisations to lead and act professionally as agents of change and serve as mentors and consultants for those organisations.
This, he said, would foster good corporate governance that will help ensure the rendering of quality services to sustain the interest of their clients and keep them in business
Mr. Klinogo was delivering a presentation on the topic: “Corporate and financial management under public service regulations – The Public Procurement Act, etc.” at the opening of a three-day orientation workshop for Boards and Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of State-Owned Media at Elmina.
The workshop is being organized by the National Media Commission (NMC), and has in attendance Board Chairmen and Board members of the Ghana News Agency (GNA), New Times Corporation, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and the Graphic Communications Group.
Mr Klinogo told the Boards to draw strategic plans to assist them in decision making, saying that it was time Boards planned for their future and their survival by changing the outlook of their organizations through strategic communication.
He said the Boards should work in concert with the NMC and their organizations, adding that it behooved on them to deliver on their mandate and ensure that their organizations succeeded.
He charged the NMC to devise strategies to empower itself by sourcing for the requisite financial resource for its operations, and noted that when well-resourced, the NMC would be able to enforce the “rules of the game” to create an even playing field for a sustainable future for media organizations.
“The NMC as a regulator is supposed to establish an even playing field for media organizations” he emphasized, adding that the Commission should seek the backing of the Legislature and the Executive to enable it to source funds to facilitate its work.
The Chairman of the NMC, Ambassador Kabral Blay Amihere said the timing of the workshop was appropriate because it was being held at a time the country was in an expectant mood pending the pronouncement of the outcome of the election petition case by the Supreme Court, and also coming at a time the NMC was celebrating its 20th anniversary.
He asked the media to be vigilant and work to ensure that peace prevailed in the country after the verdict of the Supreme Court was announced.
The Chairman called for a review of the NMC ACT, as well as a re-examination of some provisions on free speech, the use of State Owned Media by the President and the issue of contempt which, he said, should be examined critically to reflect the changing times.
He tasked the Boards to thoroughly discuss in-house challenges confronting their media organizations and make the necessary input to address those issues.
Ambassador Amihere expressed the hope that the Boards will work hand-in-hand with the Management of the Organizations to make them self- sustaining.
Mr. George Sarpong, Executive Secretary of the NMC described as “a unique reality”, the fact that the State-Owned Media in Ghana was not being controlled by the Government as found in other countries.
He said the media must be protected through active vigilance for the consolidation of the country’s democracy.
Source: GNA