INFORMATION OFFICER CAUTIONS ISD OFFICIALS (PAGE 36)

THE Brong Ahafo Regional Information Officer, Mr Bossman Amoh-Poku, has advised cinema commentators and other officials of the Information Services Department (ISD) to avoid indulging in partisan politics as they go round to disseminate government policies and programmes in the various communities.
He explained that, as officials of the department, they should see it obligatory to play their traditional role of educating the people on government policies, programmes and projects but beyond that, they should not be perceived as being politically inclined to the government of the day.
“It is our traditional duty to serve all governments but there is the misconception that officers of the ISD have been a propaganda machinery of the ruling government but we should not be partisan at all in performing our duties. We should make it a point not to go beyond our scheduled role,” the information officer cautioned.
Mr Amoh-Poku gave the advice in an interaction with the Daily Graphic in Sunyani.
He stated that his outfit had embarked on a two-week educational campaign aimed at creating the awareness of the people in the various communities about the government’s policies and programmes.
He said the campaign covered the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the Capitation Grant, the School Feeding Programme, the national identification system, the free medical care for pregnant women as well as the Free, Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE).
Mr Amoh-Poku stated that the ISD officials were prepared to make the maximum use of the information vans provided by the government in all the districts.
He expressed the hope that, with talk and film shows preceded by good music, the people would appreciate the message designed for them.
He observed that during his few rounds, he realised that pregnant women were patronising the health facilities to access the free medical care which was now free, adding that, with the new policy, maternal and infant morbidity and mortality would drastically reduce.
Mr Amoh-Poku emphasised that with the continuous awareness being created, the programmes would impact positively on the people.
He expressed gratitude to the government for beefing up the strength of the office staff of the ISD in all the districts and municipalities.
According to him, currently not less than five qualified officers had been employed in the region and were manning the various offices, as against previously where there was only one person doing all the work.
The regional information officer, however, appealed to the district and municipal assemblies to assist the ISD field officers by providing them with office accommodation and other logistical support to enable them to perform their duties without any hindrance.
He alleged that some of his officers sometimes used the vans as offices and resting places, which did not augur well for any meaningful work.
Mr Amoh-Poku said the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment had directed that the assemblies should provide logistical support for the ISD in the respective districts, especially the servicing of the information vans.
He, however, noted with concern that little was being done in that regard, even though the department was serving the interest of the assemblies.