Graphic recruits debt collectors to chase GHc 10 million debt

The management of the Graphic Communications Group Limited has been forced to rely on the services of debt collectors to recover debts many institutions owe it. 

The state-owned print media giant is owed millions of cedis in advertisements it published as well as newspaper supplies to corporate subscribers.

The company is owed a little over GHc 10 million.

The Managing Director of the company, Benjamin Ato Afful, made the revelation when he appeared before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on . Thursday.

“As regards the recalcitrant clients that the audit refers to, we have activated two debts recovery agencies that are external to go to the businesses. They are going after long-standing debtors of the company.

“Additionally, the company also has a standing-debt collection force made up members of management, including unionised staff that go round on day-to-day basis to help the credit control team,” he told the committee.

The PAC summoned Mr Ato Afful to respond to audit queries after the 2017 Auditor General’s Report indicted the state-owned media house for failing to recover huge debts from state institutions, including Parliament and metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies for the purchase of newspapers and adverts space.

A member of the committee, Dr Clement Apaak, expressed surprise as to why institutions like Parliament owed the company, despite the budget allocation for reading materials to settle such expenses by the House.

The MD of the GCGL explained that it had been forced to resort to debt collectors after several attempts to retrieve their funds failed.

Mr Afful said Parliament in May 2020 paid part of its arrears following an appeal to the Speaker of House.

He appealed to both public and private debtors of the company to honour their obligations to save the organisation.

“…We also use this channel to plead that this national asset will only survive when we support it to do so. So we entreat yourselves included to honour your payments that are due to us, and we continue to supply you accordingly,” he said in a passionate appeal.