Colonel M'Bawine Atintande, Director, Public
Relations of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), has extolled the Ghana News Agency (GNA) for its contributions in creating a knowledge-based society through high quality news and information dissemination.
He described GNA as the centre-piece of quality information aimed at promoting national cohesion and development adding the work of the Agency was more diffused.
Col. Atintande, was speaking on Monday at a meeting he held with management of GNA before embarking on a familiarisation tour at the Agency's premise in Accra.
The tour was also to enhance the cordial working relations between the GAF and stakeholders and the public.
Col. Atintande said that as a one-time media practitioner, his work brought him so close to the activities of the Agency, adding it had deepened the respect he has for the organisation.
He expressed the hope that management would work to expand the frontiers of the activities of GNA to include prolific and ingenious ways of
generating enough revenue to enable the Agency meet its budget.
"I want GNA to grow and think of other means it can generate funds bigger than what it is doing now," he said.
Col. Atintande gave the assurance that the GAF was committed towards working to strengthen the partnership with other stakeholders especially, the media.
Nana Appau Duah, General Manager of GNA, expressed admiration for the spirit de corpse of the GAF, adding civil society needed to imbibe the
quality for development.
He said African countries needed to adopt the self-discipline and timeliness the military was noted for, if they would make rapid progress.
Nana Appau Duah underscored the importance of civilian-military corporation stressing it was importance for national development and cohesion.
Mr. Boakye Dankwa Boadi, Supervising Chief Editor, said the work of the Agency was to protect the image of national institutions stressing that GNA would not relent in ensuring the principle was achieved at all times.
He appealed to Col. Atintande to take appropriate actions to correct the wrong and any time there was a report of military excesses to save the image of the Force and to sustain public confidence in GAF.
After the meeting, Col. Atintande, together with Lt. Rita Anane, Acting Administrative Officer, Directorate of Public Relations, GAF, toured the facility and office of the Agency, including the News Room.
GNA was established on 5th March 1957, being the first news agency in Sub-Saharan Africa, to serve as catalyst to the politico-socio-economic
development of Ghana and in creating a knowledge-based society through the gathering; processing and disseminating of high quality news and information of interest and relevance to the core values of Ghanaians, Africans and the rest of the world.
The agency covers all major international events held in Ghana for distribution to its subscribers and partners. GNA also covers all the
District, Municipal and Metropolitan Assemblies, annually.