Accra, April 8, GNA - The government has been urged to practically and effectively integrate the minority political parties and civil society in the governance of the country, to ensure the speedy realisation of socio-economic development goals by the year 2020.

Mr Kojo Yankah, former Ashanti Regional Minister, who made the call, noted that the experience of developed countries, indicated that the minority political parties form a very integral part of their machinery for good governance.

"It should, therefore, be a matter of course for the government to consider opening up to the opposition and civil society, to allow for creativity and innovation as catalysts in the rapid socio-economic development of the country."

Mr Yankah was speaking at the 39th graduation ceremony and 41st anniversary celebration of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) in Accra on Saturday. In all, 138 graduates, comprising 71 Diploma in Journalism and 67 Diploma in Public Relations and Advertising, passed out.

Mr Yankah noted that the bane of developing nations is the unnecessary suspicion, which exists among the various arms of democratic governance, such as the government, opposition and media.

As a result, effective communication, needed among these arms to ensure good governance, is lacking, adding, however, " we need to realise that governance is a set of policies, institutions and relationships that facilitate the operation of multi-party democracy and market economies for the benefit of everyone."

Mr Yankah, therefore, appealed to the government to institute measures for continuous dialogue with all the stakeholders in governance and to maintain high standards of transparency and accountability.

He observed that current global trends indicated that information technology and mass communication are major contributors to economic development. Mr Yankah, therefore, stressed the need to develop the communication industry rapidly, "if we are to overcome the challenges of globalisation and ensure good governance in the 21st century."

"In ensuring good governance it becomes necessary first and foremost to guarantee the independence of the media and communication industry, such as film, publishing, advertising, public relations, marketing, the mass media and information technology."

Mr Yankah deplored the showing of film with extreme nudity on the television, saying that such films complicate the effort of government at over-coming the HIV/AIDS pandemic and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), since they arouse people's desire for sex.

He, therefore, charged broadcasting stations in the country to desist from showing such films, as a way of supporting government to reduce the incidence of STDs in the country.

Mr John Mahama, Minister for Communications, said the current example of the developed world, indicated that the richest companies in the world are those in the IT industry.

He said this confirms the fact that no country, business and individual could survive in the 21st century without getting equipped with information and knowledge.

"It is, therefore, unfortunate for the Ministry of Communications to be allocated only 32 billion cedis out of an annual budget of two trillion cedis for this year. Mr Mahama charged students to make personal efforts at acquiring knowledge in IT, since the ministry, with its budget constraints, would not be in the position to provide a full complement of IT facilities for institutions under it.

Mr David Newton, Director of GIJ announced that work has started on the construction of a 12-classroom complex, a library, a computer room and offices at the new site of the institute at Okponglo, near Legon.

He said an initial amount of 496 million cedis out of this year's government budgetary allocation of 1.2 billion cedis for the institute, is being invested in the project, scheduled for completion in 18 months.

The institute is fully connected to the Internet, has an e-mail address: gij@ghana.com. A computer firm has been engaged to network the computer system and set up a domain for the institute, he said, "after which we would create our own website and provide e-mail addresses for both staff and students."

Currently, the United States Information Service (USIS) is training students of the institute in the use of the Internet. Mr Newton said the degree programme to be run by the GIJ would soon be approved by the University of Ghana.

Mr K. B. Asante, Chairman of the Board of the Governors of the institute urged the graduates to concentrate on analytic reporting "more than just quoting official sources, who usually deny."

Mr Victor Kwawukume emerged as the over-all best student in the Journalism class and won other awards as the best student in Political Reporting and English.

Ms Winifred Nana Ama Hagan was the over-all best student in the Public Relations class and also won the three other awards of the best student in Communication Research, Marketing and Social Studies. In all, 18 awards were presented to deserving students.

Choice FM and Sambus Computers presented separate cash donations towards the library project of the school in response to an appeal made by the Students Representative Council (SRC).