Major Shake-up Expected at Graphic ...

A MAJOR shake-up that will drop 207 out of the Graphic Communications Group workforce of 650 is expected this month.

The restructuring, the most radical in the 52 years history of Graphic, will promote Elvis Aryeh, the current editor, to the powerless position of general manager while eleven of the 16 executives will lose their jobs.

Those who will be considered for retention must hold, at least, a first degree from a recognised university, according to recommendations put forward by Bruks and Associates, consultants hired by the board of directors to downsize Graphic last year.

Chronicle can say that while the board and the government, for that matter, cites upgrading of the 120,000 circulation Graphic as reason for the restructuring, a section of the workforce sees it as a covert attempt to replace perceived NDC faithfuls with NPP sympathizers.

Our investigations showed Sydney Abugri - the features editor, A. B. A. Fuseini - the political editor, Fiifi Mensah - chief sub-editor, Joe Nyinah - metro editor and Ransford Tetteh - news editor to be those perceived to be NDC sympathisers in the editorial department of Graphic.

If the suspicion that they will be dislodged is anything to go by then Albert Sam or Debrah Fynn is likely to replace the man at the news desk.

Ebenezer Sam could go to the sub desk while Faustina Ashirifi assumes responsibility for the features desk, it was further learnt.

The five functional executives or departmental heads that are to be maintained include the managing director who heads the entire group; the general manager (GM) in charge of manpower who will co-ordinate all five departments and the GM in charge of finance.

There will also be a GM for technical services and GM for services and marketing.

Currently, there are as many as 16 executives: the managing director (MD), an editor each for the Graphic, Mirror, Graphic Sports, Juniour Graphic and Showbiz. There are also human resource manager, production manager, supplies manager, head of engineering, chief internal auditor, chief accountant and solicitor-secretary.

The manager, commercial printing and the general services manager are also in executive positions. With the proviso that the five functional heads should all hold degrees has come as a windfall for some staff not holding management positions at the moment in the media house.

At the same time, names like Mrs. Arthur - resource manager, Harris Asante - advert manager and Mr. Baja - general services are likely to lose their jobs because they reportedly lack the requisite qualifications.

Similarly, Messrs Baiden and Tagoe could fall from their printing manager and supplies manager positions, respectively. It was further learnt that there will be 28 managers, including the five editors, who will report directly to the various functional heads.

One of the concerns in the house is over the subjection of editors, who are supposed to have freedom in their duties, to the supervision of a GM. "It is a very serious issue of disagreement here, especially among journalists," a senior Graphic reporter told Chronicle.

Though the restructuring is said to be basically internal, a section of the workers at Graphic suspect that government is taking advantage of it to kick out those who are not loyal to it.

Many of those who granted Chronicle interviews (on anonymity) recalled that last year, a newspaper predicted that Elvis Aryeh was to be "promoted" to the figurehead position of managing editor to pave the way for an NPP sympathiser to take over his editorial desk.

Sydney Abugri took up the matter in his column "Letter to Jomo" but Information Minister Jake Obetesebi-Lamptey swiftly reacted, distancing the government from any such "dream".

Abugri and then acting editor C. S. Buabeng were queried by the Graphic board and could have lost their jobs, had the editorial board not intervened.

In April this year, when A. B. A. Fuseini and Ransford Tetteh wrote that the then National Security Advisor, General (Rtd) Joshua Hamidu, had foreknowledge of the Yendi crisis but took no action to pre-empt it, the Graphic board wrote to the editor calling for sanctions against the two reporters. Again, it was the editorial board that jumped to their rescue.

Chronicle, in fact, learnt that following the second interference, the editorial board made it clear to the company board that the frequent interruptions had sent wrong signals to journalists on the paper that some external hands were trying to whip them to fall in line.

Readers will recall that shortly after the NPP had assumed power, some newspapers published articles expressing worries over Elvis Aryeh remaining as editor. Some of such items called on pro-NPP reporters there to rise and let their voices be heard.

These are the happenings, which have added up to make some suspicious of the restructuring exercise. On the appointment of the editor of Graphic, the board is expected to select someone in consultation with the Public Services Commission.

When contacted, Ferdinand O. Ayim, special assistant to the Minister for Information denied any government hand in the impending restructuring at Graphic Communications, citing the fact that the exercise is being done by the company's board.

On the issue of government being uncomfortable with the writings of some journalists, he said, "We can never be satisfied with everything happening in this country but 'live and let's live' is our basic guiding principle." On Aryeh specifically, he said, "the fact that we have an opponent somewhere does not mean we have to kill him off."

As long as he or any other person works professionally, the NPP has no problem with them, Ayim asserted, indicating that anytime the Ministry of Information intervenes, it is because ethics or professionalism is being sacrificed by the media.