By: Hafsatu Z Bangura
The Minister of Information and Civic Education Mr Chernor Bah and Deputy Yusuf Keketoma Sandi had a fruitful discussion with information officers working with MDA’s to sort out ways of disseminating information of various Ministries, Departments and Agencies projecting the image of government and the country.
Speaking at the discussion the Deputy Minister of Information, Communication and Civic Education Mr Yusuf Keketoma Sandi said Government is a unit, and not a fragmented box, and as such every ministers have specific function of duties to the Republic that every information officers working within the government sphere should work towards the vision and mission of the ministry as communicators.
He went on that their job is to represent an aspect or facet of government, that their actions represent the government and as such must be aligned to the vision and expectations as communicators and media professionals.
He also noted that the Ministry of Information, Communication and Civic Education will work towards bringing both information officers of these Ministries, departments and Agencies together with the ministers of these institutions that they work for.
He concluded that a government that cannot communicate it’s achievement to the people is a broken one, as such they are working relentlessly towards achieving the interest of citizens and the President.
The Minister of Information, Communication and Civic Education spoke of professionalism, accountability to work ethics as he said his ministry is working towards that direction as such requires the effort of all information officers across these institutions.
“Flow of information is seamless, systematic and strategic, we need to improve the sector of information sharing to the country and international development partners’ Mr Bah averred describing it ‘as a domino effect”.
Musa Conteh Senior officer Cabinet Secretariat thanked the ministers for the opportunity of such discussion as he highlighted the challenges faced in sharing information regarding the institutions they serve.
He said as an institution they promote the good image of government, personalities and more for quite a while he said, they have been unable to fulfill the task of such, due to political interference, provisions of tools available for information sharing.
Lahai Parker from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change said the issues they face as an institution is one good quality cameras amid impress to manage the unit and its affairs; he urged the ministry to address such issues.
Aminata Brima representing the Ministry of Labor and Employment said most times they are left out of duties tied around the Ministers to which information or engagements of the institutions are not being shared with them.
She urged the ministers to address these issues and more that they face in sharing information and executing their duties effectively.
The Ministers in their closing remarks urged them to participate and actively engage in the day to day affairs of their institutions in which they serve.
