Graphic replies opposition parties

Accra ( Greater Accra) - The Graphic Communications Group Limited, which publishes the Daily Graphic and four other papers on Monday, said it will give fair access to all political parties in spite of its new status as a limited liability company.

"The Graphic Communications Group Limited is aware of public concern about the need for fair access to the media especially during a year of presidential and parliamentary elections. The legitimacy of this concern has no relevance to the status of our company".

These were contained in a statement signed by Mr Elvis Aryeh, Editor of the Daily Graphic, in reaction to the disapproval of the Minority Group in Parliament of the new status of the defunct Graphic Corporation.

The Minority Group at a press conference last Tuesday kicked against the turning of the Graphic Corporation into a limited liability company, saying it "would aggravate the inequitable access to the most powerful daily print media in the country."

The Minority, therefore, called on the National Media Commission (NMC), the Ministry of Communications and other concerned bodies to take steps to safeguard the democratic interest of all parties and business organisations.

Mr. J. H. Mensah, the Minority Leader in Parliament, said Graphic's new status would not only allow private individuals with their own political leanings and agenda to manipulate the company to their advantage, but it would also aggravate the inequitable access to The Graphic, a state-owned media.

The move, he said, has also got the potential of denying access to some business organisations branded as supporting the opposition financially.

In reaction to these the statement said, "we hope that the nation will see the Graphic Communications Group Ltd not as a tool for the pursuit of any political agenda but as a business venture".

It would be a "development-oriented organisation desirous of meeting the basic needs and aspirations of the people holding its own in highly competitive global information market".

It said the company is aware that it draws its readership from the broad spectrum of the Ghanaian society irrespective of political affiliation".

"Good journalistic practice and respect for democratic norms dictate that we offer a fair service to all if we are to retain our position as the nation's leading publishers."

On its transformation to a limited liability company, the statement said the process was done in accordance with parliamentary procedure.

It said Graphic Corporation was among 51 state-owned enterprises slated for conversion into limited liability companies through a legislative Instrument (LI 1648) of August 17, 1999.

The statement said Mr. Kwame Peprah Minister of Finance issued the legislative instrument, which came into effect after being on the table for the statutory period provided by the rules of Parliament.

"The coming into force of the instrument meant that Graphic Corporation Instrument, under which it had existed, ceased to operate.

"The obligation fell on the board to take procedural action to have the Successor Company registered with the Registrar of Companies under the Companies Code as a limited liability company.

" It is strange that a group of Members of Parliament, before whom the Instrument of Conversion was placed and whose Honourable House is ultimately responsible for the enactment, should suddenly kick against the Graphic for acting to implement its provisions".

Graphic Corporation said this month that it has formally been incorporated into a limited liability company under a new name, the Graphic Communications Group Limited.

The new company has two subsidiaries - Graphic Packaging Limited and Afrimedia International Limited, a UK-registered company, who are publishers of the West Africa magazine.

The Board of Directors and Management of Graphic Communications Group Limited remained unchanged. The sole shareholder of the company rem,ains the Govt of Ghana