Ministry expands new communication strategy

Accra, Nov. 24, GNA - The Deputy Minister of Information and National orientation (MINO), Mrs. Oboshie Sai Cofie has underlined the ministry's commitment to ensure that the positive achievements of government are explained to the people thoroughly.

This, she said, was in line with the Ministry's clear-cut and unambiguous mandate "to ensure that the success story of this government's achievements gets told, gets told right and gets told to every single Ghanaian, in such a way that each will truly understand". Mrs. Sai Cofie was briefing High Commissioners and Ambassadors of Ghana's Missions on Government's new Communication Strategy and MINO's role in information management as part of a 4-day conference organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Accra.

The conference, attended by 45 Ambassadors and High Commissioners, was to examine critically Ghana's domestic and foreign policies to enable the diplomats to rationalize the performance of their missions to ensure maximum contributions to the national development effort. It was also targeted at familiarizing the Diplomats with developments on the socio-economic scene at home in Ghana. Mrs Sai Cofie said Ghana, under President John Agyekum Kufuor, was firmly set out in a well thought out path of growth and stability, and all information must be constantly and consistently shared with the people of Ghana.

She explained that although the mandate given her ministry appeared easy, it was a complex task, since it required proper management and dissemination of information for the understanding of the people. On the media landscape, Mrs Sai Cofie noted that the freedom enjoyed by the media had not only resulted in a growth of positive media practice, but had also led to a fall of professional standards among sections of media practitioners.

This had led to the use of unacceptable language both in print, and on the airwaves, she said, adding that this had become a source of some concern for many well-meaning Ghanaians. "To help address this situation, this government on coming to power introduced the spokespersons concept to address various issues in the country," she said.

Apart from the Minister of Information and National Orientation and his deputy, the new government communications strategy organizational chart has four government spokespersons, dealing with vital areas such as social services, governance, finance and economy as well as infrastructure.

"These persons form part of government's information and strategic team to manage information in a manner that will get down horizontally and vertically to all sections of the public."

She further explained that the concept of spokespersons was to make it possible for people to appear at various radio and television stations to explain government policies and respond to issues agitating the minds of the public.

As part of the new government's communication strategy, Mrs. Sai Cofie said MINO had been working to woo the international media through the establishment of links with key personnel on the international media to help build a better reportage on Ghana in the international media. It was also working in collaboration with the National Media Commission and the National Communication Authority as well as other related bodies to assist with proper management of the media landscape in the country.

The Overseas Division of the Information Services Department (ISD), she said, had been responsible for the information activities of Ghana Missions abroad and for public relations and publicity work for Ghana overseas.

The Division carries out their mandate through information officers posted to the missions as press attaches. By producing special publications and films, information officers are able to explain government policies and inform their publics about developments, progress and investment opportunities in the country.

Mrs Sai Cofie said the cinema vans, which had been in existence since colonial days, had been successfully used in public awareness campaigns such as the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Capitation Grant and Schools Feeding Programme, Micro-Credit and Small Loans Scheme (MASLOC), and the Avian Flu Educational outreach. In an effort to bring them back to play their role in information dissemination, the ISD would soon take delivery of 149 cinema vans to facilitate its operations at the district level.

This will augment the existing fleet to enable every district in the country to have access to a van. Regional and District Information Officers, are in addition required to monitor events in their respective areas and submit feedback to government about happenings at the grassroots.

Under the new government communication strategy, the management of government information machinery would involve Regional Ministers, Metropolitan, Municipal And District Chief Executives, and "special links have been established to ensure that the entire government machinery speaks with one voice", she said.

Mrs Sai Cofie reiterated the importance of design and development of messages as crucial to the success of the strategy. Development of messages at the district levels would include drama, comedy, concert shows, puppetry, film shows, and folk story telling in group communications.

He said the Ghana Government Portal, www.ghana.gov.gh, was being revamped and brought up to a modern state-of-the-art standard under the new communication strategy. Links have been established with a number of MDAs with websites in pursuance of Ghana's E-Governance policy. The Portal was being enhanced for both domestic and foreign stakeholders, including Ghana's Missions abroad for "authentic information on Ghana, relating to investment potential, tourism, education, health, infrastructure, rural development, agriculture and industry, she added.

The Ambassadors and High Commissioners were earlier briefed by Dr. Charles Wereko Brobby, Chief executive of Ghana at 50 on events and activities planned for the Golden Jubilee. The goals of the celebrations, among other things, are to commemorate the achievement of Ghana as the first country south of the Sahara to attain independence, reflection on evolution, development, achievements and drawbacks of Ghana and Africa for the past 50 years. 24 Nov. 06