Augustus Yamson
The
management of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) has vehemently refuted
claims by some staff of the organization that it has sold its channels – GTV
Govern, Obonu TV, GTV Sports Plus and GTV Life – to private entities.
According
to the management, there was no way it can sell state-owned properties as being
alleged by a section of the staff.
Rather,
it explained that it was a partnership agreement that management had entered
into with the aim of commercializing GTV Govern, which the Constitution makes
provision for in the establishment of the state-owned media.
“What
management has to say is that we have not sold any channel. We are in a
relationship with KBL, an extension of an already existing relationship … we do
not have that authority to sell.
“Every
asset that we have here belongs to government so if we are to sell anything, we
need to get approval from government so this is not a sale,” Augustus Yamson,
Acting Director General, said.
Protest
In
recent times, some staff members of the state-owned media organization have protested
against certain deals being undertaken by the management.
The
workers alleged that management sold GTV Govern to KBL Media of the Jospong
Group and that there were plans to further sell GTV Sports Plus to Star Times,
a Chinese-owned company, while Obonu TV, a channel dedicated to the Ga
community, was to be sold to the McDan Group of Companies.
The
aggrieved staff even hang a banner on a tree with the inscription:
“Reverse GTV Govern Deal Now. If Private people manage GTV channels, what
happens to government workers? Principal alleged actors must proceed on leave.
Pay retirees their service benefit”.
MoU
Explaining
the circumstances surrounding the collaboration between management of GBC and
KBL, Mr. Yamson said the decision was to make the organization derive the best
from its channels.
He
said the state media had not deviated from its role of offering public service
to the nation but also had a duty to ensure its channels are run efficiently to
generate income for the activities of the organization.
“So
that was the reason we brought GBC 24 and GTV Govern together because they were
doing the same current affairs and news, in order to free one channel to have
this collaboration with KBL,” he added.
The
Acting Director General said the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed for
the commercialization of GTV Govern would serve the interests of the workers.
“We
have had this relationship with Joy Fm as far back as 1995 and we have this
relationship with Metro TV (former media TV) as far back as 1997. So this is
not a new concept that this new management is bringing,” he added.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri
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