The Private Newspaper Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG) has announced its bereavement following the passing of one of its founding members, Mr. Gilbert Banquo Kwame Owusu.
A statement signed by PRINPAG President, Andrew Edwin Arthur, explained that the respected veteran journalist passed away at the age of 80 at the Korle bu Teaching Hospital on Saturday.
A man of a 45-year outstanding career in journalism, PRINPAG’s statement noted the loss of GBK Owusu as a big blow to the media fraternity as a whole in Ghana.
“The Executives and the Board of PRINPAG express their condolences to the children and the entire members of the bereaved families and to the media fraternity that has lost an astute, a gem and an illustrious professional, whose professional work has contributed
immensely to the vibrancy of the media we see in Ghana today.
“Mr. G. B. K. Owusu, has paid his dues to the shaping of the media industry in Ghana and he will forever be remembered for his immense contributions to the Ghanaian media,” the statement from PRINPAG said.
It announced that observance of one week of his passing will come off on November 2, at House Number 11, Tatanaa Street, Madina New Road near old Asanka Locals, behind the University of Professional Studies
In the span of his 45 year career in journalism, the late GBK Owusu edited both The Christian Messenger and The Presbyterian newspapers before retiring to pick up an appointment as the first Public Relations Officer for the Presbyterian Church of Ghana.
He also served as a part-time Public Relations Officer for the Christian Council of Ghana (CCG), the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana, the Mennonite Church Fellowship of Christian Churches in West Africa and the historic Adventist Church of Ghana.
He finally retired in the year 2006.
Mr. Owusu until his demise on Saturday, October 26, 2019, was Ghana’s Co-ordinator for FreeAfrica Foundation and Director of Global Cheetah Palm Oil Co. Ltd in Ghana.
Mr. Owusu holds a Diploma in Mass Communication and a Certificate in Journalism from the London School of Journalism and the University of Lagos, Institute of Mass Communication.
He practised in Nigeria, Kenya and Zambia and attended many courses in Ghana and overseas. Mr. Owusu was a founding member of the Private Newspaper Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG) and the first interim President of the Association in 1991, the PRINPAG statement said.
Mr. Owusu served on many Committees set up by the Ghana Journalists’ Association (GJA) and was honoured in 1999 for his contributions to the development of journalism in Ghana. The Presbyterian Church of Ghana and the Christian Media Association have also honoured him.
“His death and departure from us at this time is indeed a big blow to the entire nation and the media fraternity in particular given his stature, depth of knowledge and his contributions to the growth of the industry in Ghana,” the PRINPAG statement said.