The relevance of the Information Ministry in our current democratic dispensation has been called into question. Critics, including former Zebilla Member of Parliament John Ndebugri have maintained the Ministry is modern day propaganda machine for governments and must be scrapped. Mr Ndebugre's criticisms follow recent utterances by the deputy Information Minister Baba Jamal, encouraging staff of the Information Service Department to over-exaggerate achievements by government. Mr Jamal later said his comments were just a joke, albeit, inappropriate. But that appears not to appease the critics. Ndebugri told Joy News Tuesday, the Minister’s admission reinforces his conviction that the Information Ministers are redundant and propagandists. Speaking to Joy FM’s Super Morning Show host on Wednesday, the Executive Director of the Centre for Democratic Governance, Prof Emmanuel Gyima Boadi was convinced the Ministry has lost its relevance, especially, with the proliferation of the mass media and must be scrapped. “We may have needed that ministry to do public education to inform the public out there in the vast rural areas in the countryside about government policy, government programmes, to conduct public education, health education, agricultural extension, education and so on. But we now have radio in every nook and corner of the country; we have television in every part of the country; for Christ sakes we have state TV, state radio, we have state newspapers. Why should we have a situation where in addition to all these facilities, maintain an agency called the Ministry of Information and the Information Services Department to do the same job”? he questioned. He was however quick to add that lies and propaganda are not the exclusive preserve of the government, adding, that the opposition also dabbles in that. Prof Boadi said it is up to Ghanaians to punish or reward the politician’s use of lies and propaganda. However, Deputy Chief of Staff Alex Segbefia insisted the Information Ministry is serving a useful He said the Ministry provides day-to-day information on government position on all issues and must be maintained.