Develop specialised contents to sell Ghana - Oppong Nkrumah urges GNA

Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Minister of Information, has urged the Ghana News Agency (GNA) to develop specialized contents to market Ghana to the world.

“Apart from the local market, speak to the world about Ghana’s tourism, investment and economic potential,” he said during a working visit to the Agency on Tuesday.

The Minister said such information could be disseminated through innovative digital platforms easily accessible to investors globally.

“Every country is developing a strong media channel with, which it speaks to the world. The British are doing it through the BBC, the Russians are doing it through TASS, the Chinese are doing it through XINHUA and CCTV, Hong Kong is using NHK,” Mr Oppong Nkrumah said.

“…My point is that the dynamics in the global news market are changing and it gives us an opportunity to make GNA something more than it has been over the years.”

He, therefore, urged the Agency to develop partnerships with corporate Ghana to fund such endeavours in their mutual interests.

Corporate Ghana could leverage on the GNA’s credibility and reliability as a brand to market their products and services to the world, whilst it received the needed fund to supplement state subvention to boost its operations.

He commended the Agency for upholding to its tenets of gathering and disseminating accurate, unbiased and truthful news for nation building over the years, despite its resource challenges.

The Minister pledged the Government’s commitment to support the Agency to effectively deliver on its mandate.

Mr Kofi Owusu, the General Manager of GNA, commended the Minister for the support he had offered the Agency since he assumed office nearly two years ago and said the Agency was keen on exploring all opportunities to become a global player.

He said the Agency had started engaging some corporates on forging partnerships in a win-win endeavor.

The General Manager assured the Minister of the Agency’s commitment to lift high the flag of Ghana in the global media space.

Mrs Beatrice Asamani Savage, the Director of Editorial, said the Minister’s recommendations were in line with the Agency’s mandate to project the Ghanaian and the African agenda.

She urged the Government to provide the requisite resources for their implementation and to remunerate staff to end the high attrition rate to retain talented hands.