Awal Resigns From Graphic

Mohammed Ibrahim Awal

The Managing Director of the Graphic Communications Group Limited, Mr , yesterday announced his resignation from the company effective November 5, 2010.

At a staff durbar on the premises of the company in Accra, Mr Awal attributed his decision to a change in his priorities and interests from the media to other areas.

He confirmed at the durbar that he handed his resignation letter to his employers, the National Media Commission, on Friday October 29, 2010, to enable him to venture into a private practice.

“For everyone there is a beginning and an end and I believe this is the end of the road in the media for me. My new job was to start in July, this year, but for the love of Graphic I decided to stay on till now,” he said.

He expressed his appreciation to the workers for their support, which enabled Graphic to chalk up many successes during his tenure of office.

He called on workers of the company to be professional in the discharge of their duties in order to maintain their place as the market leaders and reminded them to maintain high professionalism, particularly with reference to the contents of the company’s newspapers, especially the flagship Daily Graphic.

He said Graphic workers should recognise that the bottom line for their efforts was to generate the needed resources to finance the operations of the company.

The managing director indicated that the company’s performance from January to September this year was highly commendable.

He said the turnover for the last three years had grown by over 70 per cent and urged the staff to work harder to ensure even better performance by the end of the year.

Mr Awal was confident that despite the stiff competition in the media industry, the Graphic Group, with its quality human and other resources, would continue to be the leaders in the industry, stressing that innovation and professionalism must permeate Graphic’s activities.

He thanked the board, management and staff of the company for the support given him during his tenure as Managing Director.

Mr Ibrahim Awal has worked with the Graphic for more than 20 years, rising through the ranks as a reporter, Regional Editor, Adverts and Business Development Manager, General Manager (Marketing), before becoming the Managing Director in 2007.

The Secretary of the Graphic Local Union, Mr William Ashaley, stressed the need for the company to strategise effectively in this era of stiff competition, stressing that, “we need to uphold high journalistic standards and ethics,” with the overriding concern being making the company economically viable.

Mr Ashaley stressed the need for the company to organise regular medical screening of staff of the company in order to ensure better health for them.

He also appealed to management to ensure that medical bills of staff were paid regularly and called for unity among members of staff.

The Union Secretary expressed the Union’s displeasure at some allegations against the MD in sections of the media, stating that the union was unaware of any group known as Concerned Patriotic Staff of Graphic.

He expressed the Union’s appreciation to the Managing Director for his open and transparent leadership style, which had helped to retain the company as the leader in the media industry in the country.