Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister of Government Communications, has expressed deep concern over the inadequate budgetary allocation to his office, stating that the GH¢78 million assigned for the year is “woefully inadequate” to meet the operational needs of the three key agencies under his supervision.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament, Ofosu emphasized the crucial role played by the Ghana News Agency (GNA), the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), and the Information Services Department (ISD) in disseminating government information, keeping the public informed, and upholding media integrity.

“Mr. Speaker, these three agencies alone have 2,537 civil servants, and it is these civil servants who have been allocated GH¢78 million for both goods and services,” Ofosu stated on Wednesday.

“Mr. Speaker, it is woefully inadequate for them because the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation alone needs GH¢36 million to establish a presence in the six regions that the previous administration created,” he added.

Ofosu’s concerns highlighted the pressing financial needs of these institutions, which collectively employ 2,537 civil servants who rely on the budgetary provision to carry out their duties. The minister’s plea for increased funding comes as the GBC faces the challenge of expanding its services to cover the six newly created regions.

He, however, told Parliament that the current funding levels would severely hinder the ability of these three institutions to function effectively.