An 11-member council of the Ghana Publishers Association (GPA) was last Thursday inducted into office with the objective to assist in improving and promoting the publishing industry in the country.
It has Mr Asare Konadu Yamoah as president, Edward Yaw Udzu, vice president, Kwabena Agyepong, honorary treasurer, and Mr Dan Konoh Odei, honorary secretary.
The other council members are Ms Harriet Tagoe, Mr Emmanuel Nyarko, Stephen Brobbey, Nana Yaa Boatemaa Agyekum-Hene, Mrs Adwoa Serwaa Opoku and Dr Ralph Nyadu-Addo and Ms Pamela Woode as co-opted member and Ex officio member respectively.
The induction of members, held in Accra was administered by Justice Stephen Oppong, a Justice of the Court of Appeal.
Mr Yamoah gave the assurance that the team would work hard to tackle any challenges confronting the industry.”With this spirit, we would be able to work together to make that impact we so much desire to provide the best environment for our businesses to thrive,” he said.
Mr Yamoah said, as the main aim of the association was to ensure a suitable business environment and the creation of opportunities for members, the team would explore new areas for members to improve their businesses.
He called on stakeholders for more support and encouragements to propel them to work for the growth of the association and promote the course of their advocacy.
Touching on the issue of increase in book prices, Mr Yamoah said, unstable fuel prices, cost of materials and the increase in tariffs largely affected the industry.
“Although we are managing and putting things in order, government should intervene and lessen taxes. This will ease the burden on both publishers and parents, so that as we enter into a new phase of this association, we would be able to promote the new face we seek to project,” he stated.
The GPA is a non-profit making trade association of book publishers in Ghana.
The Association is the only collective voice of book publishers in Ghana, which serves as a rallying point for all book publishers in the country.
BY ANITA ANKRAH
