Ministry of Information to review agreements on its assets

Accra, Dec. 2, GNA - The Ministry of Information is to review all agreements and policies on its assets, which have been leased to private individuals and organisations.

This, according to Mr John Tia Akologu, the sector Minister, would enable the Ministry derive the maximum benefits from the assets. Addressing the media after an inspection of the Audio Visual Centre and the Cinema sections of the Information Services Department, on Wednesday, Mr Akologu also hinted on the total abrogation of some agreements, which were not properly contracted.

The Audio Visual Centre of the ISD is the section designated for the mounting of exhibitions, printing of banners, T-shirts and billboards on behalf of Government agencies and other private organisations, which might need their services. The Cinema Section also uses cinema to educate the public on national issues and also censors movies before their release unto the market.

Briefing the Minister, Mr Paul Quarcoo, Technical Officer of the Centre, complained about the deplorable conditions of the Centre, which had led to a drastic shortfall of contracts from both Government agencies and the private sector. He said the Centre lacked modern machines to carry out its works thereby making it unattractive to potential customers. The situation, he said, had led to a drastic shortfall in the revenue to the Centre and called on the Ministry to quickly intervene to save the situation.

He denied reports that the Centre had leased out some of its lands to private individuals for residential purposes. Mrs Josephine Robertson Carboo, Greater Accra Regional Director of the Information Services Department, appealed to the Ministry to renovate the compound as its condition did not speak well of the Ministry. She also called for the repair of the broken down Information Vans of some of the districts and the employment of more staff, especially for the District Offices, as some of the employees had abandoned their posts. "We will also appeal to the Ministry to help us get back our Conference Room as it has been occupied by materials belonging to the defunct Ghana @ 50 Directorate," she said. After the tour, Mr Akologu praised the staff of the two agencies for working under such harsh conditions and pledged to meet the Boards of the two institutions to find the means of solving the problems that had plagued the agencies. He called for the review of the Cinematography Act of 1962 to pave way for the modernisation and the proper functioning of the Cinema section.