GBC has not been sold – Management
Management of Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) says the Corporation has not sold any of its channels to a private entity.
Rather, Management said the Corporation as part of its five-year strategic plan had merged two of its channels – GBC Govern and GBC 24 to GBC News channel to enhance profit and efficiency as well as be competitive in the media arena.
Mr Augustus Yamson, the Acting Director General of GBC, at a press briefing in Accra said the Corporation signed a Memoranda of Understanding with KBL to use GBC’s channel to undertake broadcasting in the Akan language (Adwinpa TV), while KBL will provide finance to support the collaboration.
He explained that the partnership was to last for 10 years with a two-year gestation period, which does not create any form of ownership for KBL.
According to the Acting Director-General, the Corporation was a state owned organization and that management does not have the authority to sell any assets without government knowledge.
Mr Yamson explained that the channels like Obonu TV, GTV Life and GTV Sports Plus have equally not been sold but would be open for partnerships.
Mr John Kwame Waja, Director of Legal Services, GBC said the Corporation had six channels, of which two was used for public service and it was prudent to engage in partnerships with other institutions to commercialize some of the channels to raise money for the company.
“The Corporation’s Act gives us backing to partner with other organizations for commercial purposes. What we intend to do was to diversify our portfolio not to sell the asset of the state”, he added.
He said no money was paid to GBC as part of the partnership with KBL even though both parties agreed on an amount of $350,000, adding that the new channel, Adwinpa Tv was only running a test transmission.
Mr Waja said staff of the Corporation were briefed about the plan, and was surprised about the alleged uproar from the union.
“We called for a meeting with the staff and they said they were not aware of the agitation. We suspect that the misinformation in the public was instigated by two disgruntled staff who were suspended for act of indiscipline”.
He said the management of the Corporation would meet the National Media Commission for onward discussion on the matter.
Source: GNA