Accra, Nov. 1, GNA - The Ministry of Information and National Orientation has given the Information Services Department (ISD) 146 mobile cinema vans with accessories to enable the Department to disseminate and explain government's policies and programmes to people in the remotest parts of the country.

In addition, there are nine pick-ups to help Regional Directors to monitor the activities of the cinema van project while the Ministry has produced docu-dramas to further emphasize messages to bring clear meaning and understanding to its audience.

Ms. Oboshie Sai-Cofie, Minister of Information and National Orientation, said at the short inauguration ceremony on Thursday that the vans, which would be based in the various districts, would have an established itinerary to ensure full penetration of the entire country. She said government had also ensured that the mobile van programme was fully staffed for the greatest efficiency.

The Minister said the staff of ISD would additionally be tasked to gather feedback from the public through post-viewing interactions, as this would further assist the Ministry with its objective of taking government's messages to every single Ghanaian in a format and language that would be understood by the people.

The Minster said the need for government to prioritise the operations of the mobile cinema van project was apt, because the wheel of socio-economic development would spin uninterruptedly when an enlightened people lent their support to the effective implementation of government's policies and programmes. "The acquisition of knowledge and information is a panacea to economic empowerment," she said.

Ms Sai-Cofie further stressed that it was important that as the world was moving fast in the age of information technology, every effort was made to create maximum awareness, understanding and appreciation of all efforts of government to bring about great transformation in the overall development of the country.

She said though the media terrain had changed dramatically, it was still believed that there was a niche where these cinema vans, used as tools for effective public education, would fit perfectly. "As well as engaging the citizens with audiovisual representation of government policies and programmes, the vans will show all kinds of Ghanaian produced entertainment such as Ghanaian comedies, music videos, documentaries and drama shows to ensure a mix of information, entertainment and public education," she said. The Minister called for total dedication and hard work on the part of the newly recruited ISD staff who would manage and run the cinema van project.

Mrs Sai-Cofie said the Ministry had put in place a monitoring unit and intended to initiate an electronic fleet management system to ensure the efficient management, maintenance and regular servicing of the vehicles.

She cautione d that the Ministry would not tolerate the deviant use of the vehicles and would appropriately sanction any officer who would be caught doing that. Mr Frank Agyekum, Deputy Minister of Information and National Orientation, advised the ISD officers to function as facilitators to ensure free flow of timely and reliable information to the public to enable government to have accurate feedback on its policies and programmes. 1 Nov. 07