Nkechinyere Ewa-Okpara
Government of Ebonyi State has trained newly recruited Information/Public Relations Officers(PROs) across ministries, agencies and parastatals in the state on the best way to engage with the public on the course of their duties.
The two days training was organised by the state Ministry of Information and State Orientation.
Commissioner for information Engr. Jude Okpor explained that the training was not only a jinx breaker but a perfect inroad towards the better performance of the Information/Public Relations Officers to broaden citizens’ engagement and participation in governance in the state.
Okpor said that at the end of the Orientation/Training, the Information/Public Relations Officers would have come to terms with the needed tools that would propel them to discharge their duties in consonance with the best practices of their chosen career.
“This programme, pursuant to the People’s Charter of Needs principle of His Excellency, the Governor, was thought out sequel to the need to keep our information/public relations officers abreast and in tune with the current professional/communication standards towards becoming masters of their art and especially in discharging their duties of image making.
“For any government to rightly feel the pulse of its people and convey the contents of its policies, the dispensers of such messages must be knowledgeable on what their duties truly are. This underscores the importance of today’s programme.
“There is no gainsaying the fact that this is a golden opportunity for all the newly recruited Information/Public Relations Officers who are the chief beneficiaries of this programme.
“It is expected that at the end of the Orientation/Training, the Information/Public Relations Officers would have come to terms with the needed tools that will propel them to discharging their duties in consonance with the best practices of their chosen career.
“It is also expected that after this two-day experience, the image makers would have been finely equipped and positioned to professionally manage through sound communication both the internal and external public towards driving the Peoples Charter of Needs policy to the government-desired targets.
“It’s worthy of note that the avalanche of life changing policies and programmes of the present administration across all sectors, particularly in the Health, Education, Infrastructure, Security, Civil Service, Human Capital Development, etc. have unarguably made our task easier.
“We therefore demand a total dedication and commitment to the state in the discharge of your responsibilities in your different areas of assignment. This is a goal-oriented and target-driven administration. Poor attitude to work is not acceptable, but efficiency in service will certainly be rewarded”, he stated.
In his lecture on the rudiments of news writing, the state Chairman of NUJ, Comrade Samson Nwafor who described journalism as simple but technical profession, urged the Information Officers to ensure they adhere to the ethics of the profession in their duties.
He commended the Ministry of Information for organizing the training which he said will go a long way to equip the Information Officers as advocates in their places of work.
Nwafor assured that NUJ will give them adequate support to succeed in their duties.