Participants at a two-day media dialogue have called for collaboration between the State and media to come out with strategies towards the attainment of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in the country. A communiqué issued at the end of the dialogue at Akosombo on Friday, sought to commit media practitioners to intensify the coverage of programmes concerning attainment of the MDGs. The dialogue was jointly organised by Ministry of Information (MOI) and United Nations Development Programmes (UNDP) in the recognition that Ghana is six years away from the deadline of the (MDGs). “We further recommend the establishment of a multi sectoral team made up of representatives from the MOI, UNDP, NCCE, MOFEP, media, political parties and CSOs, by the end of June,” the communiqué said. It explained that the multi sectoral team would work towards the establishment of an independent, well equipped body which would coordinate programmes and activities of MDGs. The communiqué also called for the formulation of a national development agenda that would recognise the attainment of MDGs as binding regardless of which government would be in power and also a mechanism to monitor and evaluate the performances and progress made in attaining the MDGs. It recommended stakeholders meetings at districts, regional and national levels to create public awareness and commitment in attaining the MDGs. Mr James Agyenim-Boateng, Deputy Minister of Information, noted that although there might be hindrances in the attainment of the MDGs, with determination and hard work, they could be achieved. He said the Ministry would work hand in hand with stakeholders towards attainment of the MDGs. Mr Agyenim-Boateng appealed to journalists to pay more attention to development communication and shift from the over concentration on trivial political issues to issues which challenged the lives of Ghanaians. Mr Francis Azumah, Peace and Governance Programmes Officer of UNDP, called on the participants to endeavour to educate Ghanaians on the MDGs and Ghanaians to see each other as partner in development. Source: GNA