The National Media Commission (NMC) has welcomed new members who were sworn-in at the Supreme Court in Accra.
A Court of Appeal Judge, His Lordship Justice Noble Jerome Nkrumah, presided over the swearing-in ceremony. The newly sworn-in members later elected Prof. Akua Biritwum as the Chairman of the 18-member Commission, who will serve for a three-year term.
Prof. Akua Biritwum’s election marks a significant milestone in the history of the NMC, as she becomes the first-ever female chairperson of the Commission since its establishment in 1993. As one of two representatives of the Office of the President on the NMC, Prof. Biritwum brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the role.
The NMC comprises representatives from various institutions, including the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA). Vincent Kobby Asmah, the immediate-past Editor of Graphic of the Graphic Communications Group Limited, and Kofi Yeboah, the General Secretary of the GJA, are the two GJA representatives on the current Commission.
Kobby Asmah has over three decades of experience in journalism, with a strong background in international and local politics, development journalism, media and conflict resolution, and international relations. He has received several awards for his work, including the GCGL Managing Director’s Best Worker in 2008 and the GJA Outstanding Editor of the Year.
Kofi Yeboah, on the other hand, has practiced journalism for 30 years, working in various media platforms, including print, electronic, news agency, and online. He is a multiple award-winning journalist and the author of the book “Perils & Pearls… Seribbles of a stammering scribe,” which is an autobiography of his professional career.
The NMC comprises representatives from various institutions, including:
– Cecil Sunkwa-Mills – Association of Private Broadcasters
– Hajj Muhammad Amir Kpakpo Addo – Federation of Muslim Councils and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission
– Anthony Obeng Afrane – Ghana Association of Writers and the Ghana Library Association
– Ernest Owusu Addo – Publishers and Owners of the Private Press
– Prof. Isaac Abeku Blankson – Training Institutions of Journalists and Communicators
– Esther Numaba Cobbah – Ghana Advertisers Association and the Institute of Public Relations of Ghana
– Eva Okyere – Ghana Bar Association
– Joseph Yao Hotor – Trades Union Congress
– Abena Annobea Asare – National Council on Women and Development
– Rev. Isaac Owusu – Ghana National Association of Teachers
– Rev. Ruby Amable – Christian Groups (National Catholic Secretariat, Christian Council of Ghana, Ghana Pentecostal Council)
– Mahama Shaibu – Parliament of Ghana (Majority)
– Philip Fiifi Buckman – Parliament of Ghana (Majority)
– Korkor Laurette Asante – Parliament of Ghana (Minority)
The swearing-in of new members and the election of Prof. Akua Biritwum as the Chairman of the NMC mark a new chapter in the Commission’s history. With their diverse backgrounds and expertise, the new members are well-equipped to promote the interests of the media industry and ensure that the NMC continues to play its role in regulating the media landscape in Ghana.
