GJA president grabs NMC job as retirement package

Information reaching DAILY GUIDE indicates that the president of the Ghana Journalists’ Association (GJA), Roland Affail Monney, is scheming to represent the association on the Board of the National Media Commission (NMC).

He has reportedly withdrawn the last member of the GJA on NMC Board, Dr. Doris Yaa Dartey, who still has a three-year term to complete.

Mr. Monney allegedly took the action to enable him to get onto the NMC Board to earn juicy monthly salaries.

DAILY GUIDE has gathered that since his retirement from the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Mr. Monney has largely been representing the Association on the boards of public institutions.

He is said to have already made himself available for a position on the Public Interest and Accountability (PIAC) Board, which has oversight responsibility over Ghana’s oil funds.

Mr Monney is reportedly working hard to remove Dr. Dartey, a former Board Chairperson of the Graphic Communications Group, from the NMC.

The current term of the NMC’s board is expected to expire at the end of November 2018, and only two GJA members on the Board, including Nana Kwasi Gyan Apenteng, who chairs the Board, is expected to step aside because he has served two terms.

Dr. Dartey, a veteran journalist and media trainer, has had one-term, but Affail Monney is said to be using his power as president of GJA to withdraw her.

This is against the fact that Dr. Dartey has been one of the hardworking and selfless members of the GJA and the Ghana Writers Association (GWA) over the years.

At a point she solely financed the activities of GWA for a year as indicated by Nana Gyan Apenteng recently at the 7th edition of the Pan African Writers Association (PAWA) annual lecture.

It’s understood that GJA Executives had taken a decision to have an executive member on the NMC’s Board because its members on the Board have over the years not been briefing the leadership of the Association.

But sources say no decision was taken for Mr. Monney to put himself up for the position.

The GJA also nominated former General Secretary, Bright Blewu, to the NMC Board, meaning that he and Mr. Monney would replace Dr. Dartey and the outgoing NMC’s Chairman.

Mr. Monney left Ghana for Namibia last weekend to attend a workshop on digital media, youth recruitment and youth communication immediately his name was submitted to NMC.

He was due to return to the country over the weekend, but has reportedly cut short his visit to return to Ghana on Thursday, November 29 to enable him participate in the inauguration of new commissioners on Friday, November 30, at the Supreme Court building.

The GJA’s executives are reportedly split over the matter, and it’s unclear why Mr. Monney, who is serving his final term as GJA’s President, is pushing hard to be on the NMC’s Board.

Sources said his action could apparently be motivated by the desire to enjoy juicy salary.

However, DAILY GUIDE has learnt that his nomination has not been accepted by all executives of the association.