We Must Market Ghana, 'The Ghanaian Project' - Information Minister

The Minister for Information, Hon. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid has called on key agencies under his Ministry to play a leading role in marketing the country to investors especially "The Ghanaian Project" globally.

These agencies include the Information Services Department (ISD), the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and the Ghana News Agency (GNA).

Hon. Abdul-Hamid was speaking at the opening ceremony of a two-day Executive Retreat under the theme: "The Ghanaian Project" organised by the Ministry on Saturday 22nd April, 2017 at Ho, in the Volta Region.

The Minister noted that the re-establishment of the Ministry of Information is an opportunity for the agencies concerned to foster regular interactions between government and the citizenry. It is also to enable the sector Ministry to strengthen its oversight responsibility to deepen engagements with key stakeholders, and improve access to official and authentic information by the media amongst others.

"Our Ministry will continue to disseminate relevant, reliable and timely Information to the citizenry as well as receive the appropriate feedback, through effective monitoring and evaluation of government policies, projects, programs and activities" he said.

Hon. Abdul-Hamid pointed out that it was important for citizens to realise that, "Ghana is supreme over and above our individual/political interests."

He opined that the relevance of the Information Ministry cannot be over-emphasised in the sense that advanced nations are now operating what is termed as "knowledge economy" and it is not only those who have natural resources that are making progress but those who have information and technology as well.

The Minister used the occasion to introduce the new three Deputy Ministers for Information, to participants. They are Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah - Member of Parliament for Ofuasi Ayirebi Constituency, Hon. Perry Okudjeto and Hon. Ama Dokuaa Asiamah Agyei, Member of Parliament for Akuapem North.

A former government spokesperson and Minister of State in charge of tertiary education during President Kufuor's administration, Madam Elizabeth Ohene graced the occasion and shared her rich experiences in media matters with participants.

Other top management staff who took part in the programme were Mr John Yaw Adjei Appiah - Acting Chief Director, Ministry of Information, Mrs Elizabeth Efua Essel - Acting Director of Information Services Department, Dr Kwame Akuffo Anoff - Ntow, Director General, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, Mr Rex Annan, Acting General Manager, Ghana News Agency and Fatimatu Abubakar, Deputy Communications Director at the office of the President among others.

In their presentations, Directors from the three (3) key agencies reiterated the need for their various outfits to get on board the "Ghanaian Project" and outlined certain measures to be taken by each of them to help champion the Ghanaian agenda.

Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, (MP) bemoaned the seemingly duplication of roles among some of the agencies like the Information Services Department the Ghana News agency as well the GBC and called for the re-definition functions to enable each agency concentrate on their specific roles to save the public purse under the same sector ministry of the economy.

Hon. Abdul-Hamid also used the occasion to interact with various District Information Officers in the Volta Region and assured them of his commitment to provide cinema vans and other logistics to facilitate their operations for the development of the country.

Source: ISD (Richmond E.Y. Abake, Ho)

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