ISD asked to educate public on government policies

Bolgatanga (UE), May 4, GNA - The Information Service Department (ISD) has been challenged to intensify its information dissemination role, to educate the public about government policies and programmes. Mr Baba Jamal, a Deputy Minister of Information, who made the request, stressed that the Department should support Municipal and District Chief Executives (MDCEs) to ensure that accurate information gets to the people and on time.

He asked the ISD to work harder to erode the impression by some people that the Department is anti government because all that it does is to make announcements at the communities. Mr Jamal made the call in Bolgatanga when he met with the Upper East Regional ISD staff and information dissemination stakeholders, as part of a nationwide working tour. Mr Jamal explained that his tour was to enable him to familiarize with the Region, foster rapport with stakeholder information dissemination, dispel the notion that the Department was anti-government as perceived by some sections of the society.

He expressed worry that many government policies were not explained to the people at the grass roots. Mr Jamal tasked the ISD to within six weeks collaborate with MDCEs to gather profiles of their areas for the Ghana Porter. He paid a courtesy call on the Regional Minister, Mr Mark Woyongo. Mr Mark Woyongo appealed to the ISD to ensure that the public patronis= e its work and called on MDCEs to produce good documentaries for the ISD to market their districts.

Mr Nelson Mba, Regional Information Officer, appealed to the MDCEs to involve the ISD in their day-to- day work, saying 93we are supposed to be the eyes and ears of the respective MDCEs". He asked the Ministry of Information to do something about the inadequate staff of ISD and to provide officers with computers and other equipments to facilitate their work.