Mr. Steven Asamoah Boateng, Minister of Information and National Orientation (MINO) has warned information officers against using their positions to engage in partisan politics. He said their duty as information officers was to inform and educate the people on government policies and programmes and also under-take other activities that would improve the living standards of the people. Mr. Asamoah Boateng was addressing a two-day workshop organised by the ministry for its regional and district information officers drawn from the Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions in Tamale. The workshop is to offer the participants the opportunity to learn how to improve upon effective information gathering and delivery and also deliberate on matters affecting the department. Mr. Asamoah Boateng told the information officers not to colour their reports with their political biases or involve themselves in newspaper reviews but work as professionals, adding: "Be factual, professional and straight". He urged the officers to intensify their education on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) in the rural communities to let them appreciate what government was doing. The Minister urged the officers to strive to improve upon themselves professionally and also specialise. Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, Northern Regional Minister, advised the information officers to read wide and share ideas with officers in other departments to be abreast with events in other communities. He also appealed to them to contribute to peace building and conflict prevention in the Northern Region by sending early warning signals to the appropriate authorities. Source: GNA