Government has initiated a move to onboard all Public Relations Officers (PROs) of the various State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) unto the “Bonsu” reporting platform by October 15th 2021.
The platform is a real-time information and reporting interface which allows all PROs to share their planned activities to enhance effective planning and management of Government communications by the Ministry of Information.
This initiative is part of effort to improve the coordination role of the Public Relations Coordinating Division of the Information Services Department in a bid to harmonise Government communications’ effort.
The Director-General of SIGA, Mr. Stephen Asamoah-Boateng in his opening remarks reaffirmed the importance of communication in any business and the need to enhance the role of PROs. He encouraged PROs to be proactive, set the agenda and tell stories which enhances their work.
“Communication is a powerful tool. It is the first human development we encountered when nature brought us together. Communication is a way to develop economically. One of the first responsibilities of state institutions is to engage its citizens. If you do not share your success stories, nobody will know what you are doing,” he said.
Mr. Asamoah Boateng however, bemoaned the fact that some Chief Executive Officers do not involve their communication directors in their meetings when discussing strategic plans for their institutions thereby reducing the PR officers role to become reactive. He assured that he will use his office to ensure the inclusion of PR officers in strategic meetings.
The Minister for Information, Honourable Kojo Oppong Nkrumah expressed concern about one of the afro barometer report by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) indicating that the Government of Ghana did not work for the people of Ghana. He described the assertion as dangerous for Ghana’s democracy.
“Some challenges such as distrust in public institutions, media pluralism, misinformation and disinformation and the constant interference of opposition and Civil Service Organisations existential interest that undermines government’s work accounts for the assertion from the report,” he noted.
According to the Minister, to change this bad perception, there was the need for state institutions to collaborate with each other, using social media to amplify their success because agenda setting is critical in changing the narrative.
He advised communicators to take advantage of social media in projecting positive stories about their work.
He added that the initiative was not to render the Public Relations Officers of SOE’s inactive but strengthen their PR efforts by highlighting their success stories to reach a wider audience with MOI and ISD machinery.
The name BONSU is the Akan name for Whale. Like the size, it has been designed to store large volumes of data which will serve as a point of reference for future Government communications.
Source: MOI (PR Unit)
