Govt presents 596 laptops to media organisations
The government is to develop an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) platform to enhance the capacity of the media to access and disseminate information with dispatch.
It will also build the capacity and skills of media practitioners through training programmes at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) and other recognised training institutions to make the media more vibrant.
To demonstrate this commitment to improve the work of the media, the Minister of Information and Media Relations, Mr Mahama Ayariga, presented 596 laptops to media organisations and public relations practitioners at the ministry in Accra yesterday.
Making the presentation, Mr Ayariga said the creation of the proposed platform was also to ensure that media practitioners upgraded their knowledge on issues of national interest, so that they did not dwell too much on political issues which were seasonal.
Rather, he said, it was the expectation of the ministry that the media also focused on economic and social issues.
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) had 192; the Information Services Department (ISD), 224; the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), 50, and PRINPAG, 100.
A number of the laptops are also expected to be allocated to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) and the Institute of Public Relations, later.
He said public relations practitioners (PROs) at the various ministries would also be trained to be abreast of issues concerning their ministries, so that they could speak on topical issues in the absence of ministers.
He said training programmes would be organised for all beneficiaries of the laptops to enable them to use the equipment efficiently.
The ministry, Mr Ayariga said, was currently developing a system for the GNA to make available government information to all media houses to enhance its dissemination.
According to him, access to information which was critical to the work of journalists, was one of the biggest challenges facing the media.
He said weekly press briefing sessions would be organised for editors and senior media practitioners by the Presidency to keep them informed about government activities.
Henceforth, journalists who wished to investigate any government agency should first submit a questionnaire to the GJA, the GIBA and PRINPAG two days ahead of time, Mr Ayariga said.
Such a step, he explained, was intended for the ministry to prepare itself for the said investigation or interview, facilitate information flow and ensure that the truth was reported.
Story: Mary Mensah