Libreville, January 3, 2024 (AGP) – Several proposals were formulated, at the end of the days of reflection on an overhaul of the Gabonese Press Agency (AGP), for its survival and efficiency, held from Thursday February 1 to Friday February 2 2024, at its headquarters in Héliconia, in the commune of Akanda, north of Libreville, it was noted.
« How can we make the Gabonese Press Agency effective in relation to its missions in an environment borrowed from technological changes and social network phenomena?“. This is the full meaning given to the days of reflection which took place last week, the opening of which was chaired by the Minister of Communication and Media, Government Spokesperson, Laurence Ndong.
The leading Gabonese media outlet, the Gabonese Press Agency, is at a crossroads. Making it more effective in relation to its missions by taking into account technological developments, these are the elements which were the subject of reflection on the part of all the agents of this entity for two days.
Four sub-committees were set up, under the supervision of coordinators, Alexis Koumba, Élie Ngoungourou and Thierry Zue. These are the finance and accounting, human resources, marketing and public relations, logistics and transport and finally legal committees. The principle being clearly stated, first take an inventory of the situation with proposed solutions.
At the end of this work, the participants detected several flaws in the agency’s current operating chain. Namely, the problem of understaffing of all types and the training of existing personnel. On the inadequacies, the essential areas were pointed out, in particular journalists, marketers, IT specialists, accountants as well as in the new communication professions. According to the observation made, the current legal framework is already outdated. It would now be important for the reforms resulting from the 2015 decree to be applied, and to convene new meetings.
The question of relocating the headquarters to the city center was also at the center of discussions, failing to completely rehabilitate the current building.
Not without omitting the increase in own revenues, better valorization of the specificity of the journalist, while awaiting the achievement of the special status of communicators, as well as the possibility of providing a printing press, etc.
The provincialization of the agency and its corollary was not left out. This involves the rehabilitation and equipment of provincial offices with immediate effect, the provision of rolling resources, in the medium term, the recruitment and establishment of relays at the departmental level.
This work, which ended last Friday, was culminated in a final report, which will ensure the influence of the AGP, created in 1966.
The Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Communication, representing the unable minister, during the closing of the said work, welcomed the initiative. “ This work is crucial and will serve as decision-making tools“, he declared, before reaffirming his commitment to transmitting the final report from the various commissions.
FO/CBO/HUN
