Ghana News Agency gets new General Manager

Mr Bernard Otabil was on Wednesday appointed the new General Manager for the Ghana News Agency (GNA)for a four-year term, effective Friday March 1, 2013.

The National Media Commission (NMC) made the appointment in consultation with the President in fulfilment of its constitutional mandate.

Article 168 of the 1992 Constitution states: "The Commission shall appoint the chairmen and other members of the governing bodies of public corporations managing the state-owned media in consultation with the President".

The contract agreement was signed on Wednesday, February 27, 2013 in the presence of Mr Reginald Laryea, Board Chairman of the GNA, Mr Kabral Blay-Amihere, Chairman of the NMC, Mr George Sarpong, the Executive Secretary of the NMC and Mr Alex Bannerman, Deputy Executive Secretary of the NMC.

Speaking to the GNA at a brief ceremony in Accra, Mr Blay-Amihere said “the NMC had charged him (Mr Otabil) to restore the Agency to the glorious days that the GNA had served as the leading news agency in Africa”.

“He is also to position GNA in the new media age”, he added.

Mr Laryea pledged his unflinching support to Mr Otabil.

He expressed optimism that he would work hard to revamp the GNA to attain further growth.

Mr Otabil said “I have come to give a new lease of life to the GNA”.

Mr Otabil comes on board with several years of experience from the fields of academia, media, investment banking and consulting.

He is joining the Agency from the African University College of Communications where he served as the Dean of the Business School and the Vice President, Finance and Administration.

He is currently the Launch Editor of the Graphic Business newspaper, one of the flagship products of the Graphic Communications Group Limited.

Mr Otabil is the former editor of the Africa Week Magazine, former Business Editor of the West Africa Magazine and former Editor of the Sky High and Business in Ghana magazine.

With more than 15 years experience in journalism, Mr Otabil had contributed to several international publications including the Asia Review, Corporate Africa, Africa Analysis and Europe Review.

His work has been reproduced by several international publishers, including Mc Graw Hill Publishers.

Mr Otabil obtained his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Ghana Business School in Accounting (1994) and an MBA in Finance from the University of Hull (1997. He is also a fully qualified Accountant of the Association of Chartered Accountant (ACCA).

Mr Otabil is a member of the Chartered Securities and Investment Institute, United Kingdom (UK) and the Chartered Institute of Journalists, UK.

He is well respected for his business development and leadership skills.