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THE INFORMATION Minister, John Tia Akologu has once again damned suggestions and calls by many individuals and organizations for the scrapping of the Information Ministry and the Information Services Department (ISD), describing them as unacceptable. He said the ministry and the ISD are vital for the dissemination of information to all Ghanaians especially those at the grassroots to enable them take active part in the governance of the country. He added that the argument that the information ministry and the ISD have become a propaganda tool and outlived their significance due to the proliferation of the newspapers and other media outlets across the country, is aggravating and leaves much to be desired. Mr. Tia Akologu made these remarks in Ho during the opening of the Volta Regional Policy Fair at the forecourt of the OLA Girls Senior High School. The Fair is themed �Empowering the People as We Build a Better Ghana.� The information minister wondered whether those making the allegations �have taken the pain to find out how many Ghanaians, especially those at the grassroots have access to newspapers and if every information put out there by the newspapers is the gospel truth?� He noted that the recent polarization of the Ghanaian media along political lines has increased the tendency for many Ghanaians, especially those at the grassroots to be misinformed to satisfy selfish and parochial political interests. Ghanaians deserve to know the truth about for instance, how their taxes and other natural resources are being used and the efforts being made to enhance their lives. They need to be able to make assessments and inputs as far as governance of the country is concerned. Furthermore, the good image Ghana has made for itself needs to be projected both locally and internationally. All these, he said are what information ministry and the ISD stand for and the relevant reasons why they have to be maintained. Touching on the fair, Mr. Tia said it is directly in line with the President Mills� dedication to the cause of the people at the grassroots level. He therefore called on people in the region to take advantage of the fair and interact freely with government departments and agencies as well as other implementers and initiators of policies to get a better picture of all developments across the region and the country at large. The minister also called for a public-private partnership to harness the economic potentials of the various regions for the benefit of all Ghanaians. He added that the fair will be replicated in the Ashanti and Northern regions by the end of the year.