Dep Gov Enlists Professionals' Cooperation With Govt To Ensure Better Society

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Dep Gov Enlists Professionals' Cooperation With Govt To Ensure Better Society

Professional associations in the country have been advised to close ranks with governments at all levels for the purpose of delivering good governance to Nigerians and preserve the society for posterity.

The Akwa Ibom deputy governor, Mr Moses Ekpo, who gave the advice while declaring open a Directors' Conference by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations at Ibom Hotel and Resort, Uyo, said cooperation by professional bodies became even more urgent and desperate than ever before in the country given the recent EndSARS protest, lootings and destruction of lives and property.

Describing the theme of conference "Changing the Dynamite of Governance through Strategic Communication ", as apt and well thoughtout, Ekpo said it was a pointer to the fact that the Institute is well aware of its role in the new governance dynamics and paradigm so critical for the present time.

The deputy governor commended the decision of the NIPR leadership not only to get communicators to restrategize, but for doing so as stakeholders in governance.

He wished that the NIPR leadership and membership who are the eye-witness communicators and not peddlers of fake and unverified information should spare some moments during their conference to embark on the inspection tour of people-centered development projects initiated by the present administration in the state.

Ekpo listed such projects they should inspect while in the state for the conference to include; good roads infrastructure linking the 31 local government areas of the state; rice and garri projects; the Fertilizer blending factory; flour mill and Metering factory.

His words: "You should visit the 2-story Intelligence Building meant to accommodate the headquarters of oil companies and other organizations operating in the state, and the Maintenance Repairs and Overhaul (MRO) at our airport which is about 75 percent completed to provide maintenance facilities for airplanes in the country and the Equatorial Guinea Region.

Ekpo, who wished the NIPR 2020 annual conference participants made up of directors and heads of Public Relations a resounding success, was optimistic that they would return to their various circuits not only with a well-rounded message of a new paradigm in communication, but a resolve to be part of its field implementation.

The chairman, Directors' Conference, 2020 planning committee, Nkechi AliBalogun, explained that the conference was arranged to create a platform for informed discourse and influential ideas on how to build a prosperous and secure workforce and society in the best interest of all. Ali-Balogun noted that the conference was organized to also provide the unique opportunity for a shared conversation in the best way to respond to the social needs of society. Her words: "We are looking to grow a new class of directors who specialize in understanding and influencing the human and social dynamics of conflict and cooperation to achieve positive outcomes on behalf of employers.

Recent events have shown that people's identities; interests; networks and narratives are focal point for communications designed to deliver measurable change in support of political, social, development or military objectives. She remarked that the fourth edition of the conference was aimed primarily to foster corporate statesmanship; workers who are skilled in managing state affairs; corporate statesman, wise, skillful, and respected leaders in their chosen fields and who will place the common good above their own interests and actively work to shape the narrative.

The president and chairman of council, NIPR, Mallam Mukhtar Sirajo, Akwa Ibom commissioner for information and strategy, Comrade Ini Ememobong and his Delta State counterpart, Mr Charles Oniagwu, emphasized the need for leaders to always submit themselves to the public relations practitioners for useful advice to guard against making mistakes that would negatively impact on the corporate image of their organizations. They also stressed the need for public relations practitioners to be part of the decision making process of their respective establishments for the best to be achieved.