Inadequate information at AU Summit

Accra, June 27, GNA - Lack of effective coordination between African Union (AU) communications team and their Ghanaian counterparts is affecting the work of the media at the on-going AU Summit in Accra. From Monday, June 25, when journalists arrived at the summit venue, Accra International Conference Centre (AICC), they were virtually stranded for over an hour as none of the media coordinators from either the AU or the Ministry of Information and National Orientation, was available to attend to them.

Meanwhile, the media are completely cut out of the action in the main conference hall and had been asked to wait in the media centre for press statements after the completion of ach session.

One official of the AU said: "We understand your frustration but we can only give you information when we have it."

Ms Esther Yarbo, Information Director of the AU, told the Ghana News Agency that except for press statements from the various meetings being held at the summit, all other information the press needed would have to come from the Ghana government side of the communications apparatus for the summit.

Meanwhile, since the start of the summit no communications or media coordinator from the Ministry of Information and National Orientation has showed up at the media centre.

Meanwhile the AU communications team has provide interview request forms for media persons to fill as and when they want to interview any of the summit delegates.

Internet facilities for the media are working well.