Use local languages to explain issues to the people - Botwe

Accra, March 22 GNA - Mr. Daniel Botwe, Minister of Information (MOF) on Tuesday announced the re-introduction of newspapers in local languages by the Information Service Department (ISD) to reach out to the people on government programmes.

He said it was important to use local languages to explain issues since people were at ease at communicating or being given a message in those languages.

Mr Botwe was speaking at the launch of the Ga version of President Kufuor's State of the Nation Address in Accra.

The programme that attracted Chiefs, Queen mothers and Opinion leaders in the Ga Dangme Traditional area was to ensure relevant information flow to the public at all times.

He said people in the rural areas require a medium that was not dominated by the tendency to politicise every development in their communities.

He said the Ministry of Information had adopted a policy to ensure that all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) included a communication component in every project so as to market those projects to the beneficiaries.

"It is only when people are well informed on the government's good intentions in its development agenda that they will lend support to those efforts" he said.

The Minister also said the function was a demonstration of the approach of making information on government policies available in Ga, among other languages.

Mr.K.B Asante, Chairman of the Ga Dangme Council cautioned against the promotion of the local languages at states functions to the detriment of the English language.

He appealed to the government to return Ga Dangme lands that were not being used to the rightful owners.

The former educationist also deplored the low level of education in the traditional area and urged parents to send their wards to school. He further called for collaboration among government, traditional rulers, opinion leaders and civil society in the development of the country.

Mr. Stanley Nii Adjiri Blankson, AMA Chief Executive lauded the translation of the President's message into Ga and called on all institutions and NGOs involved in adult literacy programmes to intensify their activities to reach a large number of people.