Former officials associated with the management of Ghana Publishing Company Limited (GPCL) under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration have disputed comments made by President John Dramani Mahama during a recent visit to the company, insisting that the state-owned publisher experienced a major turnaround between 2017 and 2024.
President Mahama, addressing staff of GPCL last week, said the company had suffered from a weak brand image in the past, likening it to a posting to “Siberia.” His remarks have since drawn criticism from individuals who served in the sector during the previous administration.
According to the former officials, GPCL was already transformed long before the current government assumed office. They argue that the company handed over after 2016 was in a poor state but underwent significant restructuring and investment under the NPP government, resulting in sustained profitability and operational growth.
They cite audited accounts covering the period from 2019 to 2024, which they say show consistent profits and a reported increase of over 3,000 percent in the company’s net assets in 2023 alone. These records, they argue, contradict claims that the company’s improved performance occurred only in recent months.
The former officials further point to substantial capital investment during that period, including the acquisition of modern printing equipment, a five-colour printing machine, and a computer-to-plate (CTP) system. They say these investments enabled GPCL to operate on a 24-hour production cycle and repositioned the company to compete effectively in the printing industry.
As a result, GPCL was selected to print ballot papers for several regions during the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections, a role it retained for the 2024 elections. The officials noted that payments for these services were made by the Electoral Commission after the current management took office.
They also disclosed that Parliament of Ghana settled long-outstanding debts owed to the company for work executed over a five-year period, again after the change in management.
Another key achievement cited was the establishment of a regional branch in Kumasi—the first in the company’s more than 60-year history. According to the former officials, the Kumasi branch generates enough monthly revenue to cover the company’s wage bill, contributing millions of Ghana cedis to GPCL’s internally generated funds.
The group estimates that revenues from election-related printing, debt recoveries, and other investments amount to more than GH¢15 million, challenging claims by the current management that it recently “saved” the company.
They further questioned assertions of financial distress, noting that the company reportedly purchased a new Toyota Land Cruiser for the managing director’s office at a cost of nearly $200,000, as well as a digital printing machine valued at about $20,000, within four months of the new administration.
The former officials maintain that the transformation of Ghana Publishing Company Limited under the NPP government is documented in audited financial statements, as well as photographic and video evidence, and insist that credit for the turnaround should be accurately attributed.
They have called on the public and stakeholders to review the company’s records to ascertain what they describe as the factual history of GPCL’s performance.
Source :www.kumasimail.com
