Wa, Jan. 12, GNA - The Information Services Department (ISD) in the Upper West Region has appealed to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to assist its field workers with mattresses, blankets and Wellington boots to protect them from bad weather during their outreach programmes in the rural communities. Mr. Benin Duori Issifu, the Regional Information Officer, said this when the Regional Minister, Alhaji Issahaku Salia, visited Ministries, Departments and Government Agencies at Wa on Tuesday. He said one of their drivers had been hospitalized with severe pneumonia as a result of the bad weather. Mr. Issifu said Lambussie-Karni, one of the newly created districts, had no information van making it difficult for officers there to perform their core functions.

Other constraints he mentioned include the lack of funds and the servicing of the information vans and appealed to the Regional Minister to impress upon the District Assemblies to assist. At the offices of the Upper West Regional House of Chiefs, Mr. Richmon= d Dombo, an Assistant Research Officer for the House, complained to the Minister about the lack of a computer and printer for the Wala Traditional Council. This has resulted in manual documentation of vital information which according to him made it difficult for them to trace information whenever they wanted to. At the Department of Social Welfare, the Regional Director, Mr. Hamidu Haruna, expressed gratitude to the government for giving the Region a car and motor bikes to all the districts to facilitate their work. He also appealed to the Minister to do something about the deteriorating condition of the Wa Remand Home to make it a bit comfortable for children on remand.

At the offices of the Ghana News Agency, Alhaji Salia commended the staff for their role in keeping the public well informed about government policies and the general development taking place in the Region. Alhaji Salia assured the workers of government's commitment to impro= ve on their working conditions and urged them to work harder to bring about development.