The Minister of State Designate in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has announced government’s plan to merge the Information Services Department (ISD) and the Ghana News Agency (GNA) into a single entity, the Government Communication Office.
This merger, according to him, aims to deliver better services more efficiently by leveraging modern technology.
“Mr. President has a vision of transforming the ISD and GNA by merging them into the Government Communication Office so that they will be able to deliver much better services at a more efficient rate,” Ofosu Kwakye stated during his vetting.
He emphasized that the new changes reflect the government’s commitment to adapting to changing times and ensuring that information dissemination remains effective and relevant in the digital age.
“It means that things have to change, and we have to keep pace with the rate at which technology is revolutionizing information dissemination”.
Ofosu Kwakye highlighted the need for modernizing the approaches to information dissemination in Ghana. He pointed out that traditional methods, such as the use of cinema vans by the ISD, are no longer effective.
“What has become clear is that the approaches that have been adopted over the period are no longer fit for purpose. The ISD used to have cinema vans, and now nobody will show up if you brought a cinema van to their community,” he explained.
The merger of ISD and GNA into the Government Communication Office is expected to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of information dissemination in Ghana.