Accra, Sept. 2, GNA - Three public institutions - Ghana News Agency (GNA), Ghana Universities Press (GUP) and Ghana Police Service (GPS) - were on Tuesday presented with vehicles to enable them to provide quality service within their areas of operation. The move forms part of service delivery improvements within the civil and public services of Ghana.

The GNA was presented with a four-wheel drive Toyota Fortuner, the GUP with a Renault mini-van and the GPS with a Toyota Hilux pickup. Mr. Samuel Owusu-Agyei, Minister for Public Sector Reform, who performed the handing-over ceremony, said as part of the ministry's work programme for 2008 it decided to provide the vehicles to the selected public institutions to enable them to improve their work. He lauded the contribution of development partners like the UNDP for the assistance in helping government in reforming work environment, work culture and a new orientation to promote efficient service improvement and delivery.

The minister tasked the beneficiaries to observe the new regime of good maintenance of state assets in order to sustain the programme for which the vehicles were being provided.

The GNA is being supported under the Subvented Agencies Reform Programme to enable it to provide prompt and reliable services to its clients and stakeholders and the vehicle is to facilitate easy movement and monitoring of activities of the GNA offices in the regions. The Ghana Police Service is to use the pickup to patrol the ministries area day and night to ensure a secure working environment for civil and public servants, as all manner of persons and hawkers have contributed to poor environment conditions and rampant theft of equipment such as computers and typewriters. The Renault mini-van would enable the GUP meet the challenges of distribution and delivery of text books to various university bookshops across the country.

Nana Apau-Duah, General Manager of the GNA, thanked the ministry for the support which, he said, would enhance the agency's output and urged it to fulfil other promises to the Agency. Mrs Naana Ampratwum, Chief Director of the Ministry of the Interior, expressed gratitude for the presentation, adding that, it would enable the police to discharge their duties. Dr Kwaku Ganu, Chief Executive Officer of the GUP, said the vehicle would boost the capacity of the institution and increase its revenue generation.