SIAKON MEDIA

Sunyani (B/A), July 5, GNA - Mr. James Agyenim-Boateng, a Deputy Minister of Information, on Monday assured departments and agencies under the Ministry,  of government's commitment and readiness to provide the necessary logistical support to enable them perform their national duties effectively.

He said even though, some of the challenges confronting such departments and agencies seemed insurmountable, the government was drawing up urgent interventions to addressing some of the problems.

Mr. Agyenim-Boateng gave the assurance when he interacted with some staff of the departments and agencies of the Ministry in Sunyani.

The Deputy Minister is on seven-day familiarization visit to the Brong-Ahafo Region, to acquaint himself with the operations of the departments and agencies.

Mr. Agyenim-Boateng noted with regret that most of the agencies and departments under the Ministry had failed to disseminate government policies and programmes at the grassroot level, because of the lack of the necessary logistics for them to do so.

"The National Democratic Congress government is working hard to bring immediate and appropriate interventions to help solve these teething problems of logistics once and for all," he said.

Mr. Agyenim-Boateng expressed optimism that even tough the department and agencies were confronting multiples of problems; they would work hard to ensure the better Ghana agenda was actualized.

Reacting to a question on the passage of the Right to Information Bills, the Deputy Information Minister reiterated government's commitment to passing the Bill, adding that, it would be subjected to parliamentary process after cabinet approval and consideration.

Mr. Agyenim-Boateng said the Bill was not only intended to aid the work of the media, but was also meant to enhance transparency, accountable and good governance.       

Mr. Eric Opoku, Deputy Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister commended Mr. Agyenim-Boateng for setting apart his numerous schedules to interact with people in the Region.

He noted that the Ministry of Information and its departments and agencies played a critical role in governance.

Mr. Opoku said since the NDC took power, the country had seen remarkable transformation in the areas of education, health and agriculture, but expressed worry that Ghanaians had failed to recognized such achievements because of the lack of communication especially at the grass root level.

In an open forum, Mr. Charles Koomson, Regional Manager of the Ghana News Agency (GNA), expressed regret that Ghanaians and for that matter successive governments had failed to recognize the numerous contributions of the agency to nation building.

"Many Ghanaians have lost the core values of GNA on which the first President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah set to establish", he added and mentioned inadequate computers and vehicles among others as some of the main challenges that hindered the smooth operations of the agency in Brong-Ahafo.

Most speakers at the open forum also enumerated a number of challenges including the lack of adequate computers, vehicles, communication gadgets, poor office structures as well as residential accommodation for staff, as problems that hindered their operations in the Region.

GNA

Koforidua, July 10, GNA - Ms Ophelia Koomson, Birim Central Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), has embarked on a familiarization tour of the area to explain government policies and programmes to the people.

She has so far visited Essam, Akyem Gyadam, Akyem Asene, Akyem Manso, Akyem Aboabo, Atiankama Nkwanta, Odumase and Nyamebekyere.

Ms Koomson thanked the people for their show of support to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Government and promised that the gesture would be reciprocated by the provision of necessary social-amenities to ensure that they lived in dignity.

She however called for concerted efforts to help move the municipality forward and to assist the government to achieve its Better Ghana Agenda.

Ms Koomson expressed dissatisfaction about the waning communal spirit among the people and challenged the chiefs and assembly members to continue to mobilize them to undertake self-help projects.

She urged the people not to see the government's call to take active part in self-help projects as a burden but must see it as a means to reduce the cost of development projects in the area.

Ms Koomson challenged the people to send their children, especially the girl-child to school to enable them to play useful roles in the country.

She cautioned them to guard against engaging their children in farming activities, diamond mining or petty trading at the expense of their education.

The MCE indicated that government's interventions in education such as the supply of free text books and school uniforms, school feeding programme and the capitation grant were all aimed at reducing the burden on parents in the education of their children.     

During an open forum, the people complained about the exorbitant price of kerosene which they said was being sold at GH¢1.20 per bottle.

Ms Koomson explained to them that the government had not increased the price of kerosene but her investigations revealed that some people bought them in large quantities from the tankers and retailed them at those high prices.

She promised them that plans were far advanced to erect kerosene dumps at vantage points in the communities where they could buy the product at approved prices.

The MCE advised the women who complained of lack of capital to trade to form co-operatives to be able to access credit from the various micro-finance schemes established by the government.

Mr Samuel Badu-Baiden, Deputy Municipal Coordinating Director, Ms Abena Abiba, Akyem Oda Constituency Women's organizer of the NDC, Mumuni Gariba, Constituency Chairman and Mr Alex Opare, Deputy Constituency Chairman accompanied the MCE on the tour.

GNA