Our Corporate History
Let's Delve Deeper
How we came to be
Margaret Wrong visited and toured African states in 1944 and proposed literature departments for Christian Councils. She wrote a paper on literature needs in which she mentioned the need for periodicals and booklets in English and local languages, proposing an editorial officer in Accra to prepare manuscripts for publication in the UK.
In 1948, Messrs Morrison and Benzies of the Scottish Mission came up in the late 1940s and proposed the formation of a literature committee for the Education Department of the Gold Coast and the Christian Council. It was to be a book development committee comprising of representatives of government, churches, book depots, Christian Council, Literature and language experts. This committee was however not to be, rather a vernacular literature bureau in 49/50 and a Christian Council literature committee was set up as well.
In 1950 the Christian Council Literature Committee was formed. The first meeting dealt with the use of gift paper from the USA to produce Ewe and Twi versions of the Story of Jesus.
A Book van was donated by the Commonwealth Trust and ICCLA (International Committee of Christian Literature for Africa) in 1956-61 to be used solely for distribution of Christian literature and General literature. It was used by the Basel and Scottish Mission Book Depots from April 1956 to the end of 1958. Not very effective, it was passed on to the Presby Book Depot to use it to sell stationery and school books. Sold in 1961.
1962-1967 – A full-time secretary was appointed to handle IBRA (International Bible Reading Association) translations into local languages and send materials over to England for printing and subsequent shipment to Ghana.
1967-68 – The literature committee commissioned a series of surveys: Literature, IBRA, Bible correspondence courses, broadcasting.
The Literature survey recommended the publication of general Christian books in addition to Bible Reading notes.
Plans to print L.P notes each year locally were put in place. An IBRA travelling representative was appointed.
1968-70 – There were writer training workshops in various parts of Ghana and a residential workshop at Trinity College at which numerous projects were developed. Publishing begins. A paper under the title Financial Implications of Publishing was presented to the Literature Committee; A Christian Council publishing programme was proposed.
Formation of Publications sub-committee – discussed the need for literature for both children and adults. On 17 February 1970 the committee decided on the formation of a publishing house with the imprint Asempa Publishers. 3 Senior staff were engaged: administration and sales, training and manuscript development, and publishing. At the 1970 Christian Council Annual General Meeting, the Literature committee reported that a publishing programme had been approved and that work would start henceforth.
Typesetting equipment were procured in 1971-75 and additional staff were engaged engaged to bring manuscripts to the camera-ready stage.
ASEMPA PUBLISHERS – MORE CONTEMPORARY TIMES
1979, the Executive Committee of the CCG accepted a proposal to change Asempa’s status from a Christian Council Committee to a semi-autonomous body – to assume a more commercial image, to attract and retain qualified and competent staff – a very significant landmark in Asempa’s history, for Asempa was almost going to go into non-existence when WACC, one of the major financial supporters proposed that Asempa should fold up because there were no prospects of becoming self-supporting.
An Asempa Board was formed, with powers to appoint its own staff, fix remuneration, and ensure that Asempa is run along professional lines.
1984-1987 – The Board was tasked with working towards the independence of Asempa publishers to free the Council of any liability arising out of her engagement in commerce. A WACC team of evaluators found the then 17-member Board with representations from all the member churches too broad and diverse for a small team of 12 workers. In December 1986, Asempa was registered as a company Limited by Guarantee and the Board was pruned down to nine members – two ex-officio members: the CCG General Secretary and the General Manager of Asempa plus 7 other members appointed on the basis of their expertise.
Chairpersons of Christian Council Literature Committee
- Rev M.V. Mandeville – Anglican – 1970-1973
- Mr. A. C. Denteh – Methodist – 1973-1975
- Mr. J. D. Laryea – Anglican – 1976-1979
Asempa Publishers Board Chairmen
- Mr. Fred Agyemang 1979–1982
- Prof. J. R. Anquandah 1982–1994
- Mr. M. W. Ofori 1995–1996
- Prof. S. N. Woode 1996–2004
- Mr. R. G. Adu-Mante 2004–2017
- Mr. Daniel Kwarteng 2017 - Present
Asempa Publishers Management
- Founding Manager Rev. Peter Barker 1970–1984
- Rev. E. B. Bortey 1984–2004
- Mrs Sarah O. Apronti 2004– 2016
- Emmanuel Amoo 2016 - present