Information Ministry, ISD Play a Critical Role in Democratic Governance

By Doris Sodjah And Chantal Aidoo

The Minister for Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has reiterated the important role the Ministry of Information and the Information Services Department play in maintaining democracy.

Addressing staff of the Ministry and Department at a durbar in Accra, Tuesday, the Minister noted that over the years, the Ministry and Department had suffered a series of change as the Ministry's mandate was sometimes given to another ministry.

With his new role as the Minister for Information, Mr Nkrumah explained that he would want the Ministry and Department to work under five strategic roles and direction making the two become one and vibrant.

The five strategic roles, he mentioned, were; restoring proactivity, reorganising the Units, taking staff Welfare seriously, delivering results and bringing back the dignity and respect of the Ministry and Department.

Touching on the restoration of proactivity, Mr Nkrumah said despite the good works undertaken by government, the success story was not properly communicated and therefore expressed the need to change the situation by resourcing the Department to get the general public to be well informed about government policies, programmes and activities.

For reorganisation of the units and bodies under the Ministry, the Minister said it was very necessary to do so to bring them to their place of pride -- for instance the mandate of the ISD, could be made to focus on two main things, that is, public education campaigns and posting professional Public Relations officers to all government agencies to enable the Ministry disseminate information to the general public.

Under the welfare of staff, he indicated that when staff was motivated they worked harder, hence, he would ensure that staff who were proactive and work diligently at all times for the growth of the Ministry and Department were rewarded.

He observed that over the years, the Ministry and Department had been seen as the propaganda machinery for government and urged the staff to work with him to change that assertion because the two government agencies focus was to disseminate information and take feedback to government.

"It is important to get government's plans and policies out there to the general public and bring back feedback to government," Mr Nkrumah added.

Mr Nkrumah said for the Ministry and Department to be more vibrant and seen as working, there was the need for the staff to put in their best and work with him as he could not do it alone.

"We are in discussion with the University of Cape Coast and University of Ghana for courses that would help staff improve on their work... so that all issue would not only be addressed to the minister but to civil servants as well," he stressed.

For his part, the Acting Chief Director for the Ministry, Mr John Yaw Adjei Appiah charged the Staff to change their attitude to suit the new change they were experiencing by coming to work very early and producing results.

In a brief remarks, the Acting Director for ISD, Madam Elizabeth Efua Essel, congratulated the Minister on his elevation and pledged the unflinching support of the Department to ensure that results were achieved and the negative perception people had about the Ministry and Department was changed.

Read Full Story