The Minister of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has expressed deep concern over what he said is insufficient budgetary allocation to his office, stating that the GH¢78 million assigned for the year is woefully inadequate to meet the operational needs of the three key agencies under his supervision.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, March 19, Kwakye Ofosu underscored the pressing financial needs of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), the Information Services Department (ISD), and the Ghana News Agency (GNA).
These institutions, he stressed, play a crucial role in disseminating government information, keeping the public informed, and upholding media integrity.
However, he lamented that the current funding levels would severely hinder their ability to function effectively.
In his submission, the minister detailed the financial burden placed on these institutions, noting that they collectively employ 2,537 civil servants who rely on the budgetary provision to carry out their duties.
He went on to highlight the urgent financial demands of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), which has been tasked with expanding its services to cover the six newly created regions.
“There are three agencies that I superintend, namely the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, the Information Service Department, and the Ghana News Agency. These three agencies alone have 2,537 civil servants and it is these civil servants who have been allocated GH¢78 million in both goods and services.
“Mr. Speaker, it is woefully inadequate for them because the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation alone needs GH¢36 million to establish a presence in the six regions that they [the previous administration] created.”
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