Minister of Information Kojo Oppong Nkrumah
The Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has taken his media engagement to the five regions in the Northern part of the country. The engagement, which began in Accra, is to build strong government-media relations in the country. The tour forms part of government’s efforts in taking inputs from relevant stakeholders amid ongoing discussions to restructure the country’s media landscape and provide media personnel with the needed support in their day-to-day activities.
The three-day tour to the North began yesterday, and the minister, as part of the tour, will be engaging journalists in the North East, Upper East, Northern, Savannah and Upper West regions.
Support
Mr Oppong Nkrumah emphasized government’s commitment to supporting the work of journalists in the country.
Part of the support mechanism, the Minister noted, is the provision of the Office for the Coordinated Mechanism on the Safety of Journalists to investigate reported attacks on journalists, validate same and take the necessary steps to seek legal redress.
“As we have just finished with the commemoration of the World Press Freedom Day, you may have noticed on the front pages of today’s newspapers that yesterday I opened the Office for the Coordinated Mechanism on the Safety of Journalists here in Ghana.
“That office is just one additional layer to the many other layers of work that the government of Ghana and, specifically, the Akufo-Addo administration have been embarking on to deepen media freedoms and the freedoms of expression,” he said.
The Information Minister also ceased the opportunity to admonish the general populace to strictly adhere to the COVID-19 preventive protocols. He stressed that, though active cases have stabilized, now is the time that Ghanaians need to religiously wear their face masks and wash their hands regularly to get rid of the virus entirely from the country.
The journalists were also given the opportunity to talk about the challenges they face in the various regions. The Minister, after listening to their challenges, suggested some solutions on how they can go about their duties without hindrance.
The North East Regional Minister, Yadina Zakaria, expressed gratitude to the Minister for the engagement. He gave the assurance that his administration would continue to work hand in hand with the media in his region. He also used the opportunity to assure the people in the region that the government would continue to execute more developmental projects that will improve on the living conditions of the people to the region.
Nayiri’s visit
The Minister also took the opportunity to pay a courtesy call on the Overlord of the Mamprugu Traditional Area, Nayiri Nabohagu Abdulai Mahami Sheriga.
The revered chief thanked the Minister for the visit. He expressed appreciation to the NPP government for what he described as ‘unprecedented’ developmental projects going on in the region.
He also commended the government for sending developmental projects to the doorstep of the people.
