NMC pledges support for GNA’s digital transformation

The National Media Commission (NMC) has assured the Ghana News Agency (GNA) of its support in delivering on its digital transformation agenda to strengthen its mandate and remain competitive in the evolving media landscape.

Professor Akua Opokua Britwum, Chairperson of the NMC, gave the assurance during a familiarisation visit by the Commission to the GNA headquarters in Accra. The visit was part of engagements with state-owned media, following similar interactions with the New Times Corporation and the Graphic Communications Group.

The NMC delegation included representatives from Parliament, the Ghana Journalists Association, the Ghana Bar Association, the Association of Private Broadcasters, the Federation of Muslim Councils, the Ahmadiyya Mission, and other stakeholder groups.

After a presentation and tour of GNA’s head office, currently under renovation with support from the African Development Bank, Prof. Britwum commended the Agency’s structure, innovation, and staff commitment. She said the Commission looked forward to structured discussions on GNA’s roadmap, including timelines and resource needs.

Highlighting the importance of multi-platform content delivery, she urged GNA to expand beyond print to embrace audio, video, and digital content while digitising its archives for researchers and the public.

Prof. Britwum also called for a comprehensive financing model to sustain GNA’s operations, stressing that discussions must go beyond Internally Generated Funds (IGF) retention to a broader national framework that ensures independence and sustainability.

“The state media provide public service, which is critical for national development, hence the need to resource them adequately,” she stated.

The National Media Commission, established by the 1992 Constitution, has a core mandate of insulating state-owned media from government control and ensuring they serve the public interest.