President John Dramani Mahama has praised the remarkable turnaround of the Ghana Publishing Company Limited (GPCL), following strategic reforms that have significantly improved the company’s productivity and financial standing.

Speaking during a working visit to the company, management recounted the difficult state of GPCL when the current leadership took office on 16 February. According to them, the company was grappling with severe overstaffing and financial insolvency, raising concerns about its ability to meet salary obligations.

To address the situation, management said it adopted principles inspired by the 24-hour economy, introducing a night shift system that created a two-shift operational model. This move helped improve efficiency and avoid large-scale layoffs, while ensuring staff were better utilised.

As a result, turnaround times for critical services such as the publication of gazettes have improved drastically, reducing processing periods from as long as eight weeks to just three weeks. The company has also introduced a 24-hour gazette turnaround, allowing clients to receive services within a day.

Management further disclosed that the reforms opened new revenue streams and led to a sharp rise in income. Among the major achievements is the establishment of a fully equipped digital press centre, converted from a previously unused warehouse facility.

Financially, GPCL has moved from a precarious position, where salaries were once paid through bank overdrafts and the company held a bank balance of about GH¢400,000, to a much stronger footing. Within ten months, the company has paid staff a 13th-month salary without borrowing, committed to a 40 per cent salary increase, and placed GH¢15 million in fixed deposits.

The leadership expressed optimism about the future, noting that with increased government printing jobs, particularly from agencies such as the Ghana Education Service (GES), the company’s fortunes are expected to improve even further.

President Mahama commended the management and staff for the progress made, describing the transformation as a positive example of how state-owned enterprises can be revitalised through innovation, discipline and commitment.