Use platforms to address false reports - Dr Ato Arthur to journalists

The Head of the Local Government Service, Dr Nana Ato Arthur has called on journalists to use their platforms to help address false reports targeted at tarnishing the image of the service.

He said in the last year alone, his outfit had to issue disclaimers to several reports that gained wide circulation on social media and online portals without confirmation from his office.

Those unsubstantiated reports, he said, undermined the integrity of his institution, hence the need for journalists to assist the service in addressing such gaps.

“Although I have been briefed that these things are done for the selfish gains of the perpetrators, such practices put my institution in the wrong light, and I would like to request your assistance to address such gaps going forward,” Dr Arthur said at a gathering with journalists in Accra last Thursday (Jan 14).

Meeting

The meeting, which was attended by news editors and reporters from diverse media outlets across the country, was aimed at improving the knowledge of journalists so they can better appreciate the role of the service.

The meeting was also to commend the media for its contribution to the service and to reflect on critical happenings in the past years and to further deepen the existing relationship between the service and its media stakeholders.

The Head of the Local Government Service also observed that some media reportage on programmes organised by the service were usually attributed to the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD).

He, therefore, urged journalists to be thorough in their research and reporting to avoid such incidences in the future.

Strides

Highlighting some strides made by the service, Dr Arthur said his outfit had successfully embarked on massive staff capacity development to strengthen the Performance Management System (PMS) at all levels of the Service and ensure discipline of staff at all levels of the Service, massive recruitment of about 10,000 staff and construction of new office complex for the OHLGS, among others.

Plans

Dr Arthur said his outfit was looking forward to an amount of GH¢1,471,227,741.30 from the government and other development partners (DPs) to enable the service to undertake and complete its planned activities this year.

The planned activities include strengthening inter-service collaboration and co-operation and the performance management systems, staff capacity development for improved service delivery, institution of health and wellness awareness programme to be replicated at all levels and the institution of an award scheme to honour staff with outstanding performance at the OHLGS

He further announced that the Births and Deaths Registry would also be decentralised to ensure effective and swift service delivery.