NASS Partners NIPR, Launches Campaigns on Parliamentary Policies, Legislations

•As Nasarawa donates 100 hectares for NIPR Varsity take-off

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, has revealed that the National Assembly was collaborating with the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations to launch public orientation campaigns that explain how policies are created and showcase the important role of parliament.

Abbas stated this yesterday after he was conferred with the Honourary Fellowship of the NIPR at the Second Nigeria Spokespersons’ Summit in collaboration with Ministry of Information with the theme: “Integrity and the Evolving Roles of Spokespersons in Leadership Communication,”

The occasion was attended by the Information Minister, Mohammed Idris; former information ministers including, John Nwodo, Frank Nweke, Labaran Maku, Prof. Jerry Gana, and Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

Dignitaries on the occasion also included, former Governor Segun Osoba; President spokespersons including Bayo Onanuga and Sunday Dare; Mr. John Momoh, Director General of the National Orientation Agency, Lanre Issa-Onilu; Tosin Dokpesi among others.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives said the National Assembly and NIPR initiative could significantly enhance public understanding and reduce negative perceptions.

Abbas said: “By combining our efforts, we can ensure clear, effective, and inclusive communication.

“Moreover, targeted training programmes for press officers and parliamentary committees – guided by global best practices – will help translate complex legislative matters into narratives that resonate with all Nigerians.

“After 25 years of uninterrupted democracy, Nigeria has reached a stage where the way we communicate leadership and policy must reflect the maturity of our democratic process.”

He stressed the need for an active and ongoing partnership between those who govern and those who are governed.

He said: “This relationship should be built on truth, inclusion, and mutual respect.

“In an era when misinformation can spread faster than facts and erode public trust, the necessity for honest, clear, and inclusive communication cannot be overstated”.

Abbas noted that in the current challenging information landscape, the role of spokespersons had evolved from being mere mouthpieces to becoming custodians of public trust.

He noted that under the dynamic leadership of Dr. Ike Neliaku, the NIPR had made significant progress by launching initiatives such as the Nigerian Spokesperson’s Charter and Practice Code that set high ethical standards and promote transparency.

“The new digital membership system, he stated, would ensure that only qualified practitioners represent organisations, while discounted registration fees for young professionals and individuals with disabilities promote inclusivity in the field.

He said: “These developments are crucial not only for professional excellence but also for national unity.”

The Minister of Information, on the occasion, said in an attempt to tackle fake news, the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, had reached an advanced stage towards the take-off of the UNESCO Media Information Literacy (MIL) Institute.

Idris said the MIL, which would be the first of its kind in the world, would be sited in Abuja, in the precincts of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

He said, “In fact, I have just returned from Paris, France, where I held a meeting with senior UNESCO officials, in which the impending take-off of the institute featured prominently.

“As Minister of Information and National Orientation, I try to lead the way in sieving information and critically watching and analyzing before I leap.

“Steeped in the practice of public relations, one of the first things I did following my appointment was to create a set of five pillars to guide the delivery of this national mandate assigned to me by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“It is no coincidence that the first of those five pillars – the restoration of public trust in government communications – overlaps extensively with the primary objectives of media and information literacy.

“Also, as part of my efforts to deepen professional practice and improve the quality of engagement in the delivery of public communication, the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, last year, succeeded in the caderisation of Public Relations in the Federal Civil Service.

“What this means is that Public Relations has now been designated as a standalone cadre in the Federal Civil Service, with effect from December 2023.

“What used to be known as the Information Officer Cadre has now been re-designated to ‘Information and Public Relations Officer Cadre’, and ‘Executive Officer (Information and Public Relations),” Idris added.

The President of the NIPR, who is also the Chairman of the Council, Dr. Ike Neliaku, appreciated appreciated the governors of Jigawa and Nasarawa states, who are partnering with NIPR in two special projects.

He said Jigawa State Government was partnering with NIPR on the REBIRTH Nigeria project, which is an initiative, from a professional private sector perspective, designed to complement the National Orientation Agency, on value reorientation, citizen education, service excellence, and promotion of made-in-Nigeria goods and services.

He also said that the institute, in partnership with Global Alliance for Public Relations; Nasarawa State Government; Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation; and Leadership Advancement Foundation, are establishing the University of Public Relations and Leadership.

He said: “We are delighted to inform that Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, has provided and presented to us the 100 hectares of land required to ensure that work commences for this unique university, first of its kind in the world, takes off on schedule in 2026.”