(MISA/IFEX) – The government has replaced six of its eight Provincial Information Officers (P.I.O.s) as it tightens it grip on the media ahead of the presidential election next year, “The Daily News” reported on 7 April 2001. George Charamba, permanent secretary of the Department of Information and Publicity, said on Thursday 5 April that his […]
(MISA/IFEX) – The government has replaced six of its eight Provincial Information Officers (P.I.O.s) as it tightens it grip on the media ahead of the presidential election next year, “The Daily News” reported on 7 April 2001.
George Charamba, permanent secretary of the Department of Information and Publicity, said on Thursday 5 April that his ministry was looking at wholesale changes in the information sector.
“Whenever there is restructuring there is bound to be changes and redeployments,” said Charamba.
He went on to say the P.I.Os were being replaced with those with degrees and this should enhance performance.
“The Daily News” reports that the new powerful P.I.Os, with degrees in the media and communications fields, would now be called Provincial Press Secretaries, tasked with disseminating information throughout the province.
It is expected that all government information will now be centralised at the provincial level, with the P.I.O.s being the only ones tasked with articulating government information ahead of the
presidential election in 2002.
