There is no doubt that the world has become a global village and continues to evolve. This is as results of free, efficient and fast information flow that the modern world is faced with. It was then by telex, letters, absolute telephones and the traditional word of mouth and smoke till the era of radio, television, internet or online, cellular or mobile phones and now digital with the hope of a most improved gadgets.

With the speed and cheaper nature of modern information, cheaper in the sense that some information may not contain any truth and cost less to send and receive information,  the world then is quite very dangerous. The presumption then is, it takes just seconds to tarnish, defame and destroy an individual, organisation, a nation and even the world. These among others were why information sharers and managers of information got to be extra vigilant in the dispense of their duties in other to make the world a haven to be.

No doubt, the onus lies with the Ministry of Information and National Orientation with its department; Information Services Department to quaver and deepen information flow to all parts of the country for accelerated growth and development. The department's role in the development of modern Ghana both home and abroad cannot be quantified.

The Information Services Department (ISD) is one of the major legacies of the colonial masters and this presupposes that it is one of the oldest departments in the country. It was set up in the 1939's during the Second World War and was mainly a propaganda tool projected to feed the colonies about the progress of the war at the time. It later turned to be the mouth-piece of the government such that whatever the government wanted to tell the people was passed through the ISD and feedback returned to the government.

 In the contemporise system of government, the department became the communication wing of the government where public relations personnel are drowned or recruited from the department to perform in the various ministries, metropolitan, municipal and districts assemblies. In a sharp contrast, the department was relegated to the background with the multi-media era with radio stations very rampant in the country making the hitherto functions of the ISD quite duplicatory.

The Information Services Department had been resuscitated with the acquisition of ultra-modern equipments and gadgets for effective communication of government's policies and programmes to the doorsteps of the people. Among some of the equipments received were; fully equipped 128 mobile cinema vans, laptops and digital cameras. These equipments are aimed at deepening information flow from the government to the people and from the people to the government and such could be termed as "Development communication".

 The Wikipedia encyclopedia defines development communication as the use of communication to promote development. More specifically, it refers to the practice of systematically applying the processes, strategies and principles of communication to bring about positive change. Nora Quebral who first coined the term in1972 defined it as "the art and science of human communication linked to society's planned transformation from a state of poverty to one of dynamic socio-economic growth that makes for greater equity and the larger unfolding of individual potential".

The practice of development communication can be traced back to the efforts undertaken in various parts of the world during the 1940s but the widespread application of the concept came about because of the problems that arose in the aftermath of World War Two. The rise of communication sciences in the 1950s saw a recognition of the field as an academic discipline with Daniel Lerner, Wilbur Schramm and Everett Rogers as the earlier advocates. However, the theory and practice of development communication continue to evolve with different approaches and perspectives unique to the varied development contexts across the globe.

Wikipedia indicated that development communication is characterized by conceptual flexibilities and diversity of communication techniques used to address the problem. Some approach in the "tool kit" of the field include; information dissemination and education, behavior change, social marketing, social mobilisation, media advocacy, communication for social change and participatory development communication. The Information Services Development in Ghana for instance could be said as using development communication as a tool and vehicle of transforming the Ghanaian populace for accelerated development and growth.

 Indeed, it is quite unfortunate that the dream of making information flow faster is hampered as most of the Districts in the country do not have internet systems making Information Officers and Journalists working in these places travel sometimes a day to on-line information centres. Some of these Districts may have the Community Information Centers spearheaded by the Ministry of Communication but are not connected to the wide area network or the internet. A case in point is the Bawku West Community Information Centre which is in die need of such a facility.

 It is also a shame and disappointing to note that some districts and municipalities do not offer office accommodation and even where they do, the offices are without furniture and other necessary official logistics. These districts should beware of the fact that the department is at their doorsteps to partner development in the country and as such should extend assistance to the department.

 The most important of them all is the high expectations the government demands from the staffs of the department to deliver expeditiously in view of the capacity building they benefited. However, some of these trainings need to revisited and refreshed and this therefore means the human resource development in the department should be a major nut to be crack by the government.

The Minister, Mr Asamoah Boateng demands a lot of commendation for his enthusiasm in lifting the image of the department and the country at large. His committed to the welfare of the staff is also paramount but, however the district staff look forward to your promise of providing them with motorbikes to enable them tour all corners of the country especially the Journalists with the department.

Kudos to all staff especially the Acting Director Mr Elvis Adeyanga who had been very hard working and also a challenge to all staff to deliver for the development and promotion of the country both home and abroad. However, the public whose tax money was used in the purchase of those modern equipment demands highly from the outfit of the department. The department though is to carry out government policies; it is not limited from pursuing poverty oriented programmes since poverty and good health are a major canker in our part of the world.

 Ghana is an agrarian country and the need for the department to tailor its educational programmes for the promotion of agriculture to increase the productivity of the country is a highly placed idea and could be nurtured for the benefit of mother Ghana. This however could be done in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

This writer therefore wishes to throw a challenge to the department as a whole to take initiative in these directions. It could collaborate with other government departments or companies that pursue programmes towards such directions. Non-governmental Organizations are not left out in these areas as well as the international development partners of which UNDP is already on board in training some of the staff of the department.

The major stakeholders to spearhead these agenda should be the various heads or directors of different capacities in the department. The need for a political interest and support toward these directions are also commended and very necessary for the development and progress of modern Ghana.
 

It is hoped that the department’s accoutrements acquired recently would bring smiles to many Ghanaians and as well change the lives of the ordinary man for the better.
     

Source: ISD (  PAUL ACHONGA KWODE
Posted:20/06/08

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