The Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, has taken a swipe at Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) for shunning the media when approached to speak on issues affecting the socio-economic development of their districts.
Mr. Ofosu Ampofo therefore directed all MMDCEs to open their doors to the media at all times and warned that those who fail to comply with his directives will face the wrath of government.
He noted that his ministry will keep an eagle eye on the MMDCEs and will deal drastically with those who reject media interviews and interactions, noting that those platforms offered by the media will enable the general public to know the performance of the Mills administration.
�I get worried when I receive reports that MMDCEs are running away from the media. It is your responsibility to tell what you are doing in your districts to enable the public realize what the government has achieved in the past three years in your districts,� the minister stated.
He added: �If you (MMDCEs) cannot stand the heat you have to run away from the heat. We will be looking at you with eagle eyes to see how you respond to the media.�
Mr. Ofosu Ampofo tasked government appointees to budget for media publications since it forms part of project management and efforts to publicize various developmental projects undertaken in their districts in the last three years.
The Local Government Minister stated this during the launch of a magazine, �The Frontier� in Sunyani on Tuesday.
The magazine highlights the achievements and investment opportunities of 22 districts in the region in all the major sectors, including education, health, roads, water, agriculture, rural electrification and local government infrastructure, among others.
�Without recounting and telling the achievements of the government, the many unprecedented interventions made by this government may go unnoticed. This calls for, at both the national and local levels of government, effective and a well-coordinated communication strategy for information dissemination about the achievements of the NDC government,� Mr. Ofosu Ampofo pointed out.
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