Accra: President John Dramani Mahama has praised Nana Kwasi Boatey, the Managing Director of Ghana Publishing Company Limited, and his management team for transforming the company's financial status over the past 10 months. The commendation came during the President's working visit to the company as part of a one-day tour of state-owned media houses, which also included stops at the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation and the Graphic Communications Group Limited.
According to Ghana News Agency, the President was accompanied by Mr. Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Presidential Spokesman and Minister of State in charge of Government Communications. The visit aimed to understand the challenges faced by state-owned media organizations. At the Ghana Publishing Company, which marked the final stop of the tour, President Mahama praised the management for their effective performance and the company's significant financial improvement.
During a mini durbar with the staff, President Mahama inaugurated a new Digital Printing Centre and noted the improvements achieved under the 24-Hour Economy Policy, which introduced a two-shift system. He highlighted that the company's financials have shown considerable improvement, expressing confidence in continued positive trends. President Mahama emphasized that the success of the Ghana Publishing Company serves as a model for other state-owned enterprises to achieve profitability and contribute to employment and dividends for shareholders.
The President recalled discussions held at the beginning of his administration under the State Interest and Governance Authority (SIGA), urging state-owned enterprises to change their narratives of financial struggles. He expressed optimism that the Ghana Publishing Company would be recognized as a success story in upcoming evaluations of state-owned enterprises' progress.
Furthermore, President Mahama indicated that the government, recognizing the company's role as the state publisher, plans to allocate a significant portion of textbook printing contracts to Ghana Publishing Company. This initiative is part of broader efforts to bolster the company's revenue generation capabilities.
The President also acknowledged the company's recent salary improvements, including a 13-month salary and a 40 percent salary increase, encouraging staff to continue their hard work for further benefits.
Nana Boatey, who assumed office in February 2025, informed the President that the introduction of the two-shift system prevented potential layoffs of around a hundred employees. He reported that the company's bank balance had improved from four hundred thousand Ghana cedis, with the January 2025 salaries paid via bank overdraft, to a fixed deposit of GHS15 million as of January 07, 2026.