Information Ministry to launch SMS facility

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa Email Print Have Your Say ( 0 ) The Ministry of Information would soon launch SMS facility to enable Ghanaians across the country to send text messages on concerns or information they want immediate action on. According to a Deputy Information Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the move is in line with President Mills principles of accountability and transparency. The new method might have been spurred by the support the ministry received barely two weeks after the sector minister, Mrs Zita Okaikoi, and, her two deputies, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and James Agyenim Boateng, availed themselves to the general public through the global social network facebook, as another medium to interact and address the concerns of the general public. “We think that as government information (outfit), we should be able to interact with people one-on-one on a personal basis so that we will be able to address their issues and take their concerns,” Mrs Okaikoi explained. Meanwhile, Mr Okudzeto Ablakwa tells Joy News the ministry has been in talks with sms short codes providers for one short code which would be applicable on all the networks. Even though messaging through short codes is more expensive than the normal texting, he said, “we have also asked that the rate should not be the commercial rate that they normally charge people who text to such short codes … this one people would be requesting information that would be pointing to government challenges or criticisms; or that are pointing to matters that need to be addressed urgently, so you don’t have to charge people for this.” Mr Ablakwa further stated that the network companies are “sorting themselves out and shortly they will get back to us”. “It is our hope that looking at the success of mobile phone penetration all over the place, we will be able to have this centre here at the Ministry of Information that would run 24 hours where when the text messages arrived they would be viewed on the computer, if it requires urgent action, whoever in the ministry, department or agency; or state institution that must take action would quickly be called to take action so that, may be, we will avert smuggling, we will avert murder, we will avert any mishap.” Story by Isaac Essel myjoyonline.com

Ghana Information minister Zita Okaikoi on Facebook

When Ghana’s Information Minister shows up on Facebook

Believe it or not, Ghana’s Minister of Information is now on Facebook, the most successful social networking site so far.

Facebook was started about five years ago by a young man, Mark Zuckerberg with college students in mind. But in the five years since it started, the site has gained over 250 million users, and cuts across all groups. Someone had said elsewhere that if it was a country, Facebook would have been the third most populated country in the world!

While it does not release its earnings, a recent stock buy-out option valued the site around $6.5 billion.

The Ministry announced her presence in a press statement released in Accra Tuesday September 1, 2009.

According to the release the Minister, Zita Okaikoi announced that she will be available for two hours every week to interact and answer questions on her Facebook page.

It added that the two deputies at the Ministry, James Agyenim-Boateng and Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa would also at different times be online to interact.

The news is immediately heartwarming and encouraging. It is encouraging in the sense that government machinery is waking up, albeit a bit late to the realities of the times. Despite an ambitious and forward looking ICT development agenda, government has consistently paid lip service to the actual implementation of ICT led programmes to bring about real transformation.

It is instructive to say however, that the ICT revolution taking place in Ghana currently is increasingly led by the private sector and individual initiatives.

A professor of computer science Prof. Clement Dzidonu had warned that Ghana as a country cannot make much progress by merely promoting Information Communication Technology (ICT).

He said, “ICT per se will not solve our problems, you need other resources like power and so on to make use of ICT. Buying electronics gadget without using them to solve your problems is a double loss.”

Prof. Dzidonu, who is also the President of Accra Institute of Technology, argues that while there is growing awareness of ICT in Ghana, the country is still at what he calls “the preliminary stages” of ICT. He said the country has not got to the stage where it could use ICT to transform the society and economy. That is the challenge the country is facing.

While the move by the Information Ministry is in the right direction, it is hard to see how the Ministry which has persistently performed one of its primary duties of media accreditation at below any standards elsewhere, could successfully use new media to effectively and efficiently engage the public.

Again it is curious to see how the Ministry which has an entrenched image as propaganda wing of government, would succeed in the virtual world of the World Wide Web.

By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi

Email: edogbevi@hotmail.com

Asabee saga: Egbert Faiblle protests 'surprises' from prosecution

Last Updated: Thursday, 27 August 2009, 22:29 GMT Previous Page

Asamoah Boateng Lawyers for ex-deputy Information Minister Frank Agyekum, have protested what they say are surprises from the state prosecution. A member of the team, Egbert Faibille said they were completely caught unaware when the prosecution introduced a third charge; deceit of public official, in addition to two earlier charges against the ex-deputy Minister. “At the last date we were supposed to come and respond to the brief facts of the case as stated by the prosecution. We only come to court today and then we are given a new charge sheet with a new sheet number. When we looked at it, we realized that Frank Agyekum’s counts have been increased to three,” Mr. Faibille told Araba Coomson after court hearing on Thursday. “We think that the prosecution can do whatever they want to do in relation to whatever charges they want to bring,” he said, but was quick to add that the defense must given enough time to respond appropriately. “What we wouldn’t want is for anybody to spring surprises on us because we don’t think it is fair and proper when the force of state are raised against you for the same state to use surprises as an element in its conduct of its case.” The prosecution led by Chief State Attorney, Anthony Gyambiby accused Frank Agyekum of seeking the release of some 86,915.85 from the Finance Minister as payment for renovation work done in the ministry in 2008, when indeed no such renovation had taken place. The Defence subsequently appealed to the Presiding Judge, Charles Quist to adjourn sitting in order to study the new charge and provide appropriate defense, a request, granted and a new date set on September 8, 2009. Mr Faibille, told Araba Coomson that the new charge cannot be justified and defense will prove the innocence of their client when it becomes necessary. Whilst the ex-deputy Minister had his charges increased, the then substantive Minister, Asamoah Boateng had his charges reduced from seven to two. He now faces charges of conspiracy to commit crime and breach of sections of the Procurement Law. Asamoah Boateng, his wife, Zuleika Asamoah Boateng, ex-Deputy Information Minister Frank Agyakum and five others were hauled before the courts for a contract awarded to Plexifom Ventures in 2008. The contract worth GH¢86,915.85 was in relation to renovation works done at the Ministry of Information in which the prosecution claims that the right procedures were breached. Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana