The Minister for Information designate, Fatimatu Abubakar, has justified the need to maintain her outfit as a separate entity, emphasizing its crucial role in empowering the citizens of Ghana through information dissemination to ensure transparency and accountability in public policy cycles.
Madam Abubakar made these remarks during her appearance before Parliament’s Appointment’s Committee for her vetting on March 8.
Responding to suggestions that the Ministry should be abolished or merged with another one due to perceived lack of relevance, she argued for the importance of maintaining the Ministry’s independence and focus.
“If anything, I believe we should advocate for increased allocation and raise awareness about the importance of the Ministry. When the Ministry was merged with the Communications Ministry previously, the struggles faced by the various agencies under the Ministry were evident. Visiting the Ministry of Information building or the ISD buildings today, the evidence of these struggles speaks for itself,” the former Deputy Minister of Information explained.
She stressed the benefits of having a sector ministry dedicated to prioritizing the welfare of these agencies, despite them not being income-generating entities. According to her, they serve a public duty, and it’s crucial to pay attention to them. This approach, she noted, has improved the performance of the ministry.
If confirmed, Fatimatu Abubakar will take over as substantive minister of the Ministry from Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, who has been re-assigned to the Ministry of Works and Housing.