Ghana Publishing Company CEO rejects claims of credit-grabbing, calls allegations political

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Publishing Company (GPC), Nana Kwasi Boatey, has dismissed claims by former Managing Director David Asante that the current administration is unfairly taking credit for the company’s transformation, describing the allegations as politically motivated.

The comments follow public reactions to recent praise by President John Dramani Mahama for the current management of the state-owned publishing firm.

In response to the President’s remarks, Mr. Asante argued that major investments and growth recorded at the company occurred during his tenure from 2017 to 2024, citing infrastructural upgrades, the acquisition of equipment, and the introduction of new production systems.

However, speaking on Citi Eyewitness News on Tuesday, January 20, Nana Kwasi Boatey rejected the claims, stating that while previous management made progress, the current leadership is pursuing a fundamentally different and more strategic transformation agenda.

According to him, when he assumed office, the company lacked even a single digital printing machine, a gap he said significantly undermined productivity and competitiveness in today’s publishing environment.

“I think the former MD is just playing politics. I don’t know why he will do that,” Mr. Boatey said. “The company has seen a facelift, no doubt, and every leadership has its focus.”

He explained that under Mr. Asante’s leadership, emphasis was placed on improving the physical outlook of the company, including paving the compound, painting buildings, and upgrading visible infrastructure.

“When Mr. David Asante came, he decided that the company’s structures needed some additional facelift. The bitumen saw some pavement blocks, the buildings were painted, because for him the outlook of the company was important. Different focus,” he noted.

Mr. Boatey argued that investment priorities have shifted under the current administration, with greater emphasis on machinery, digital capacity, staff welfare, and financial stability.

“At the time, he didn’t think a digital press was important. When I went there, I can tell you for a fact that there was not a single digital printing equipment,” he said. “I want to leave an ultra-modern printing and publishing house by the time I leave, and how do you do that without machinery?”

He also revealed that the company’s financial position was precarious when he took over, with serious liquidity challenges that required urgent intervention.

“I have focused on machinery and staff welfare. These are different focuses. When I went there, the finances of the company were such that there was no liquidity,” he added.

Mr. Boatey stressed that leadership transitions naturally come with changing priorities and insisted that the Ghana Publishing Company’s progress should be viewed as a continuous process rather than a competition over who deserves credit.

According to him, sustainable development at the company can only be achieved if each administration builds on the efforts of its predecessor rather than politicising institutional growth.