GCGL, PPAG commit to push youth development agenda

The Graphic Communications Group Ltd (GCGL) and the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) have agreed to collaborate to push the youth development agenda and also encourage healthy lifestyles across the country.

The collaboration is focused on intensifying behavioural change communication to ensure that the country achieves the key indicators of sexual reproductive health and rights.

This came to light when the leadership of the PPAG paid a courtesy call on the management of the GCGL in Accra.

The visit was for the PPAG to express its appreciation to the GCGL and to discuss the association’s priorities for this year with the group’s management.

Franklin Sowah (right), Director, Marketing, GCGL, addressing Gideon T.Y Leckson-Leckey (left), Council Member- President of Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana and his delegation when they paid a visit to GCGL. Picture: ESTHER ADJORKOR ADJEI.

Discussion

The discussion also centred on how the two entities could work together to promote reproductive health, particularly among the youth.

The members of the PPAG, led by the Executive Director, Abena Adubea Amoah, consisted of the Board Chairman, Gideon T.Y. Leckson-Leckey; the National President of the Youth Action Movement, Alin Iddrisu, and the Head of Governance Office, Theophilla Gavor.

They were received by the Director, Marketing of the GCGL, Franklin Sowa; Editor, Graphic, Theophilus Yartey; Advert Sales Manager, George Danso, and Editor of the Junior Graphic, Hannah Acheampong Amoah.

Brand repositioning

The Board Chairman of the PPAG stated that the PPAG’s visibility and vibrancy were partly due to the volunteering work some of the staff of the GCCL did for the association.

“Where we are now and the visibility that we have is all through the work that we had with some volunteers who were with the GCGL back then. They wrote a lot of impactful stories that gave us a lot of exposure.

“When we started repositioning the brand, Graphic has always been on our side and helping us with some of the stories out there,” Mr Leckson-Leckey said.

He said the association recognised the GCGL as a partner that could help to reposition its brand to a stage where it could not be ignored when it came to issues of sexual reproductive health.

He said the GCGL served as a medium through which the association could send messages to the public.

“Sometimes, people say they do not hear from us anymore; we are still out there, but the vehicle to help us reach out to people is the challenge, but with Graphic and its expertise in communication, we are looking at how best we can get that kind of support in terms of our branding and also our communication approach,”  Mr Leckson-Leckey stated.

Operations

The Executive Director of the PPAG, who gave a brief background about the association and its operations over the years, stated that the association used to be a household name a few years ago; but currently, it had been on the low side due to challenges that had to do with funding.

Also, she said it was because the association had changed focus in terms of its target.

Since the beginning of the year 2000, she said the association had shifted its focus from couples and family planning services to sexual reproductive health and rights.

In terms of target also, she said they were focusing more on young people.

For the country to reach its demographic dividend, Mrs  Amoah said the PPAG had to change its focus to ensure that young people had access to information and services that would enable them to live healthy lifestyles and contribute their quota in terms of the development of the nation.

As a result of that, she said it had strongly partnered young people and had set up a Youth Action Movement to beef up its volunteer force and to provide training and information to them.

Meaningful partnerships

Mr Sowa indicated that the business of GCGL was to professionally drive content and it did that through relevant channels that were segmented in various demographics.

“So you are at the right place and I can assure you that the capacity here meets the expectations you have. In terms of your target, which is a younger population, it is so exciting to us because our business is also interested in consistently evolving to respond to the needs of the market and we are also working seriously to grow a new base of our readers,” he said.

As a business, he said, one of its strategic pillars was to develop meaningful partnerships.

In the spirit of partnership and active collaboration, he said GCGL was a partner the PPAG could trust.

“We have what it takes to do what you want, and you just need to re-look at your focus and directions in terms of your budgetary allocations so that you can have proper value for money.

“You are home and this is where you have to be, 2024 is a crucial year for the nation and a healthy lifestyle is key because when you are healthy you think properly and you do the right thing,” Mr Sowa said.