Preservation of MultImedia Materials in Ghana: A Case Study of Ministry of Information and Media Relations

Abstract

This study dealt with preservation of multimedia materials as part of modern electronic revolution that is changing the way we exchange information. The Ministry of Information and Media Relations specifically Information Services Department (ISD) was selected for the study. This is because the ISD holds collection of valuable Information resources for Ghana. The preservation of multimedia resources is very vital for safeguarding information for posterity. The study was necessitated by what the researcher observed at the ISD upon several visits. It was revealed that important pre-colonial and post-colonial and even current multimedia materials have been left to decay or rot and the storage facility was not in proper condition. Accessibility to this historical information by researchers, students and the general public was not easy. As a result, the ISD is actually losing Ghana’s historical heritage and the new generation would have no information about their identity. The case study method was used for this research. A review of pertinent literature and data obtained through interviews and observation formed the basis of this study. The study found out that the problems at ISD ranged from funds, space, policy, logistics, and storage conditions. The study recommended that the ISD with the assistance of PRAAD should formulate a multimedia material preservation policy as provided under the PRAAD Act of 1997.