Government to streamline mass communication - John Tia

Accra, March 31, GNA - Mr John Tia Akologu, Minister of Information, on Wednesday announced that government plans to organize a workshop for sector Ministers to discuss how mass communication should be done. He explained that the way some Ministers of State communicated through the media was not the best, stressing the importance of a communication workshop that would address such challenges.

Mr Akologu made this known when executives of the Advertisers Association of Ghana (AAG) called on him to formally welcome him following his new appointment, and to use the opportunity to introduce themselves to him.

Responding to requests by the AAG to partner government in communicating the country's development agenda to the masses, the Information Minister said it was important that government used organizations such as the AAG to dispel the notion that the Ministry of Information was a propaganda arm of government. "It is true that government can give the AAG some contracts to communicate its policies to the masses through advertisement and effective communication," he stressed.

Mr Akologu also expressed his passion about the passage of the Broadcasting Bill into law and called on the National Media Commission to facilitate the process, while urging the Advertisers Association to contribute and help make the broadcasting law a reality in Ghana. Mrs Norkor Duah, President of AAG, said the Association wants the broadcasting law to address issues that dealt with the code of ethics of advertising and urged all practitioners in the advertising industry to register with the Association.

She requested the help of government to enable the Association to have a permanent office for its operations and also use it as a training centre for members.

Mrs Duah said some advertisers lacked professional training resulting in lower standard of performance and therefore it was important to get an office and a centre where practitioners could be trained. "Having a permanent office will also help us to do some research about the industry to further enhance advertising and the industry as a whole," she explained.

Mrs Duah said the Association also wanted to partner the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) to design good communication packages such as advertising materials for made-in-Ghana products and help make Ghanaian products more competitive.

She further called for collaboration between AAG and the Municipal and District Assemblies to help promote outdoor advertising. Mr Emmanuel Addo, Former President of AAG, reiterated the need for government to partner the Association in promoting the government's development agenda.

"If we are able to advertise 'Omo' such that people accept it and buy the product, we can also communicate and advertise government policies to ensure that people understand them," Mr Addo said. The Advertisers Association of Ghana is an Apex body of about 100 members that regulates the industry and ensures that there is a vibrant advertising industry in Ghana.