Save GBC lands from encroachment – NMC

Mr Kabral Blay-Amihere, Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC), has urged the new board of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), to save the corporation’s lands from encroachment.

“Protecting these lands and adding value to them through transparent and prudent land management, could be a source of revenue that will ensure the financial independence of GBC,” he said.

Mr Blay-Amihere said this on Monday during the inauguration of a 10- member re-constituted Board for GBC.

He urged the new board to work hard to ensure Ghanaians paid reasonable TV license fees, to enable GBC become a true public service broadcaster.

“Luckily the last board under the chairmanship of Mr. Kwame Asante, successfully got the necessary Parliamentary cover for the resumption of the TV License Fee,” he said.

He charged the new board to help GBC ensure a smooth transition from analogue to digital broadcasting.

“Again the plan to increase GBC’s channels from the current six to 10 in the next 24 months, is a project that will require your attention,” he said.

Mr Blay-Amihere also tasked the new board to oversee the full establishment of a Broadcasting College to serve GBC and the broadcasting industry.

He urged the board to continue with the Five-Year Corporate Strategic Plan, aimed at guiding the future development of GBC.

He urged the board to always ensure the supreme welfare of the staff whose toils and sacrifices over the years had kept GBC going.

He again appealed to the new board members to find time to acquaint themselves with the state of affairs of GBC in the regions.

Mr Blay-Amihere urged the board members to know their mandate and desist from taking over the work of management.

“We have seen situations in some of the state-owned media where governing boards in their desire to produce results ended up literary as quasi-staff who logged in at several committee meetings with such regularity that caused some tensions,” he added.

The NMC chair also appealed to the new board to avoid situations which could lead to high cost of litigation, involving wrongful dismissals and termination of contracts of staff.

“Several of the state-owned media are carrying their own cross of judgment debts, the result of dismissals and terminations that should not recur,” he stated.

He urged the new board to work without fear or favour, as its allegiance should be to only protect the supreme interest of Ghanaians.

Speaking on behalf of the new board, Mr Ricahrd Kwame Asante, Board Chairman, noted that although all television stations would go digital thus becoming nationwide, GTV would work to ensure that it remained very relevant.

He pledged the readiness of the new board to work to develop new measures of raising funds for GBC, as it had been slated to be taken off Government subvention.

He appealed to the local workers union to assist the new board to serve GBC well.

Members of the board are Mr Richard Kwame Asante, Chairman, Mr Oscar Bruce, Mr Prince Ankrah, Mr Mohammed Aminu Futa, Ms Rose Bulla and Dr Grace Ayensu Danquah, as members.

The rest of the members are Prof Linus Abraham, Mr Kojo Mattah, Ms Jennifer Amanda Coffie and Major (rtd) Albert Don-Chebe.