Workshop for information officers opens

Accra, June 29, GNA - Mrs Zita Sabah Okaikoi, Minister of Information, on Monday opened a two-week capacity workshop in Communication for Development, with a call for concerted efforts to promote the use of Information, Communication and Technology in the public sector.

The workshop, which opened in Accra is designed to train District Information Officers (DIOs) and journalists to be equipped in channelling development information to the public and also disseminate government policies and programmes.

Mrs Okaikoi advised the participants to go beyond their traditional duties by giving government public feedback about its activities.

“For those of you who have journalists working with you, you must assign them to cover development-oriented events, such as education, health, agriculture, tourism and investment opportunities in your district,” she said.

Mr Shigeki Komatsubara, Deputy Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme, observed that in line with Ghana's own development strategies, the UN body and other development partners would help to bolster government's capability to advance human development and in the process contribute to national economic growth.

He said in deploying interventions to address various developmental challenges and opportunities, communication for development had become a very important ingredient for achieving the dimensions of sustainable development.

Mr Komatsubara said in this era, strategic communication could drive greater access to the DIOs and journalists to enable them to engage in development advocacy.

GNA