Followinga 3-day event of the 48th meeting of the National Council on Information and National Orientation held in Kaduna by 77 delegates from 17 states of the federation, some key recommendations were made to strengthen information services of Nigeria.
The Directors and Chief Executives of Agencies of the Ministry of Information and National Orientation and its agencies were in attendance.
The Nigeria Institute of Public Relations and other related professional bodies were adequately represented.
The meeting was themed: “Enhancing Public Information Management for Inclusive Governance: The Renewed Hope Agenda in Focus”.
At the end of the deliberations on information management and other related issues, a communiqué was issued by a 10-man drafting committee chaired by Binta Mamman (Hon Commissioner of Niger State).
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The committee recommended that, “Nigeria Information Service Centres in 13 countries abroad with four regional/zonal headquarters within these Centres for the purpose of prompt decision making should be re-opened for reputation management as well as engendering positive image for the country globally. In addition the News Agency of Nigeria, Nigeria Television Authority Voice of Nigeria should also open offices in some selected countries to complement the efforts of the National Inquiry Service Centres (NISCs) to address the challenges associated with deployment protocols, limited career progression and resource shortages for Information and Public Relations Officers in MDAs at both state and federal levels.
“To reposition the National Institute of Public Information (NIPI) Kaduna, as a citadel for conduct of training and capacity building for Information and Public Relations practitioners in the country, other cadres of staff in the Public Service and Private Sector. In addition, the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations should consider adopting the Institute as one of its training centres.