GPA’s new president sets four-point roadmap to reset publishing industry

By Buertey Francis BORYOR

The newly sworn-in President of the Ghana Publishers Association (GPA), Edward Yaw Udzu, has pledged to pursue a lean but focused reform agenda aimed at strengthening the publishing industry’s contribution to education, culture and national development.

Mr. Udzu made the commitment at the handing-over and induction ceremony of the new GPA Council held in Accra. He described his election as both an honour and a responsibility, thanking members of the association for the confidence placed in the new leadership.

The new GPA President said publishing should be seen as a strategic national asset rather than merely a commercial activity, noting its central role in education, cultural preservation and the transmission of knowledge.

“Publishing underpins learning, shapes minds and carries values across generations,” he said, adding that countries that neglect their book industries risk undermining long-term development.

Drawing on more than 30 years of experience across publishing, marketing and legal practice, Mr. Udzu acknowledged the difficult operating environment confronting publishers. He pointed to rising production costs, currency instability, piracy, limited access to markets and the need to adapt to changing educational and technological demands.

Despite these constraints, he said the challenges also present opportunities for renewal, provided industry players work together with clarity of purpose.

The new GPA leadership, he announced, would operate around four strategic priorities, moving away from the seven-point framework adopted by the previous council.

“My mentor focused on seven, and we are saying four,” he said. “That alone shows that we want to concentrate on what remains unfinished.”

The first priority, he explained, is sustained and structured engagement with government. The association intends to press for the recognition of publishing as a strategic partner in national development, particularly within the education sector.

Mr. Udzu said GPA would intensify advocacy for a clear and predictable national policy on the periodic purchase of books for public schools, libraries and state institutions. Such a policy, he argued, would improve learning outcomes while providing stability for local publishers.

He welcomed the government’s emphasis on education in the 2026 National Budget, which allocates GH¢3billion to educational infrastructure and learning support, including the planned supply of textbooks for kindergarten, primary and Junior High School pupils nationwide.

However, he expressed concern over the absence of clear information on the selection and procurement processes for the textbooks and called for transparent guidelines and timelines to ensure fairness, accountability and value for money.

He further indicated that the association would engage government on taxation, import duties on printing materials and access to affordable financing, stressing that such discussions would be evidence-based and collaborative.

Building a resilient and innovative publishing ecosystem forms the second priority of the new council. Mr. Udzu said GPA would strengthen partnerships with educational institutions, development partners, international publishing bodies and digital platforms, positioning print and digital publishing as complementary rather than competing tools.

The third focus area is the protection of intellectual property. Piracy, he noted, continues to erode investment, creativity and livelihoods within the industry. GPA, working with CopyGhana, law enforcement agencies and other state institutions, will pursue stronger enforcement, improved coordination and sustained public education on intellectual property rights.

Capacity building and membership growth constitute the fourth priority. Mr. Udzu said continuous training, professional development and access to market intelligence would be critical to enabling Ghanaian publishers to compete effectively at home and across Africa. “A strong association must deliver tangible value to its members,” he said.

Across all four priorities, the new president pledged a commitment to transparency, inclusivity and accountability, assuring members that the association would serve large and small publishers, as well as traditional and digital players with fairness and integrity.

He also invited collaboration from partners and stakeholders, reaffirming GPA’s readiness to contribute to national policy discussions on education and culture.

Addressing fellow publishers, he called for unity and collective action, stressing that the future of the industry depends on shared purpose.

“The future of our industry depends on unity of purpose,” he said. “Together, we will build a publishing industry that supports education, rewards creativity, creates opportunity and reflects the aspirations of the Ghanaian people.”

Mr. Udzu will be supported by a council comprising Ms. Harriet Adelaide Tagoe as Vice President; Mr. Emmanuel Nyarko, Hon. Treasurer; Mr. Dan Konoh Odei, Hon. Secretary; and council members Mr. Stephen Brobbey, Mr. Emmanuel Boison, Dr. Joseph Albert Quarm, Nana Djan Amaniampong and Nana Kwasi Dankyi Mensah.

Other members include Dr. Francis Kofi Nimo Nunoo, Head of the Publishing Studies Department at KNUST, as a co-opted member; Asare Konadu Yamoah as an ex-officio member; and Benjamin Tawiah Klu as Executive Secretary.

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