Accra, Ghana, November 17, 2018//-Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), the most profitable media organization in Ghana is boiling over government’s attempt to impose Ransford Tetteh, former Editor and Acting Managing Director of the Group, on the semi-autonomous state-owned media organisation in the country.
Unhealthy rivalries
This unhealthy development is taking place following the appointment of Benjamin Ato Afful as the substantive Managing Director of the GCGL by the National Media Commission (NMC).
It therefore means that Graphic publishers of Daily Graphic, Mirror, Graphic Sports, Graphic Business, among others now has two Managing Directors. This is generating confusion at the media organization.
Impeccable Sources close to the brouhaha told African Eye Report that the management of Graphic was recently locked up in a lengthy but unproductive meeting in a bid to solve the power tussle between Mr Afful and Mr Tetteh.
The two-Mr Afful and Mr Tetteh are battling to succeed Ken Ashigbey who went on retirement some seven months ago.
In the face of the happenings at the GCGL, its management has vowed not to comment on the unfolding drama, over fear of victimization which has gained notoriety at the organization.
Gov’t darling boy refuses to go
The sources in and outside Graphic told African Eye Report that Ransford Tetteh, the darling boy of the current government who is over 60 years and the immediate past Editor of Daily Graphic, the flagship newspaper of the organization last Monday morning appeared at the recent Graphic/Stanbic Bank Breakfast Meeting holding himself as the Acting Managing Director of Graphic.
By rules of the organization, Mr Tetteh was supposed to take his accumulated leave outside the confines of the media organization leading to his eventual retirement. But according to sources, Mr Tetteh did spend his accumulated leave in the office. This clearly shows that he doesn’t want to move an inch from the organization.
No office for new MD
But towards the ending of October 2018, the NMC appointed Benjamin Ato Afful as the new Managing Director of Graphic to succeed Ken Ashigbey who is currently doing public relations work for telcos. To be precise, he is the current Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications.
From the look of the ongoing power struggle, Mr Afful who is the legal occupant of the Graphic MD’s office is yet to step in the office. He is only operating from the fringes of the organization.
His office has been hijacked by Mr Tetteh who was alleged to meet some high government officials some few days and assured them of his willingness to devote the front pages and prime sections of Graphic’s newspapers to do propaganda for the government, if he becomes the Managing Director of Graphic.
Snippets of information revealed that since the inauguration of the current government in January 7, 2017, critical or negative stories written by some reporters of the newspapers especially Daily Graphic have been blocked by Mr Tetteh when he was the acting MD of the GCGL.
General Manager of Newspapers office
There is a general understanding among Graphic staff that the General Manager of Newspapers office was created to stash past editors of the organization. But Mr Tetteh can’t occupy it because it is being occupied by Madam Mavis Kitcher, Editor of Junior Graphic at the time the staff want the post to be scrapped since it drains the company’s resources financially.
Madam Kitcher is also usurping the powers of the Editor of the Daily Graphic as she issues queries to reporters left, right and centre, according to insiders.
This therefore made Mr Tetteh very hot because he doesn’t want to stay home. It was also alleged that Mr Tetteh was looking for ambassadorial appointment from the government of the day.
Sloppy NMC appointment
Some people have it that both Mr Tetteh and Mr Afful who are fighting for the lucrative Graphic MD job, do not qualify for it. This is stemmed from the fact the Graphic advertisement on 7th February 2018 explicit asked applicants to possess a minimum qualification of Master’s Degree with 12 years’ experience, five years of which must be in a senior management position.
By African Eye Report
