The Ministry of Information has directed all Regional Co-ordinating Councils and other government establishments, including the security agencies, to with immediate effect, fly the national flag on their premises. It has also advised the general public against the use of national emblems and symbols. Mr. Baba Jamal, a Deputy Minister of Information, gave the directive at the Meet-the-Press forum in Accra on Tuesday. “The Ministry has observed throughout the country that some Regional Co-ordinating Councils (RCCs), Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), security agencies and other government agencies do not fly the national flag on their premises. This act will no longer be tolerated. “Also, those who are not mandated to use the national emblems and symbols should stop forthwith,” he directed. The minister pointed out that the “Coat of Arms” should not be used on private cars, private homes and offices or on complimentary cards; likewise, the national anthem should not be played at private functions and social gatherings such as funerals, weddings, among others, without authorisation from the ministry. Mr. Baba Jamal was not satisfied with the existing poor relations between MMDAs and the Information Services Department (ISD) and said that if no concrete steps were taken to address this negative trend, dissemination of information on government policies and programmes would be non-effective. He commended the various RCCs and other government agencies for supporting the ISD in carrying out their professional duties even under trying conditions. In a related development, Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, also a deputy Minister of Information condemned a number of surveys purportedly conducted by some organisations to erroneously portray Professor John Evans Atta Mills’ administration as non-performing. “We can understand the difficulties of the President’s critics as the overwhelming majority of Ghanaians testify to his good works in bringing the country out of the economic doldrums,” he said. Source: The Ghanaian Times/Ghana