GNA boss resigns for new appointment

Bernard Otabil, General Manager of the Ghana News Agency, has announced he is quitting the job as head of the nation’s premier newswire service, which he took up three and a half years ago.

Mr Otabil was appointed by the National Media Commission (NMC) for a four-year contract term effective March 2013, with an option of renewal.

Speaking at a staff durbar at the Agency on Monday, the CEO informed staff he was taking up another appointment elsewhere but did not elaborate.

He announced he had handed in his resignation letter to the NMC and copied the Chairman of the GNA Board as well.

Mr Otabil thanked the staff for the support and cooperation they had accorded him, and gave the assurance that he would always have the welfare of the Agency at heart wherever he would be.

Generally, there was a mixed reaction on the part of the staff regarding the General Manager’s announcement. While some had the view that he had the prerogative to move on in pursuit of his career plans for a better future, others were of the opinion that his departure was rather premature and sudden.

“The GNA was in a critical situation which called for the kind of bold decisions the General Manager took. He was the right man at this point in the Agency’s history, and I think his departure is an unfortunate development for the organisation”, said Mr Henry Oduro, the Acting Head of the Technical Department and Chairman of the local chapter of the Communication Workers’ Union (CWU).

Another staff, Mr Ebenezer Nii Tackie expressed sadness at the General Manager’s exit saying, “He has been able to turn things around in the Agency within the short time he was here. He has made a positive impact on our lives and now he is going away so soon”.

Mr Moses A. Bawah, Chairman of the GNA chapter of the Public Services Workers Union (PSWU), said the CEO’s departure was a big blow to GNA. “He has more ideas that would have benefitted the Agency if he had stayed longer”, he said.

Source: GNA