The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has called on citizens to support the implementation of government policies to achieve the desired positive results.

Mr Sanwo-Olu made the call on Tuesday at the 17th international public relations congress organised by the Business Education Examinations Council (BEEC) with the theme “Re-building trust, mutual understanding, and harmony for national development”.

The programme holds from August 15 to August 17, 2023, at Caeser’s Luxury Hotel, Lekki, Lagos State.

The governor was represented by the secretary to the state government (SSG), Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin.

He said that gaining the trust of citizens in this regard required sustained and unremitting efforts to transform the state and country to make life better for the people.

“The theme is a calling for human progress, good governance and equitable society in view of the current global challenges.

“This has necessitated governments across the world, especially in developing countries, to take the difficult decisions necessary to reposition their economies on the path of sustainable growth.

“Consequently, as public relations professionals, your expertise and experience are required in managing and shaping the people’s perspective regarding these government policies that will engender confidence and mutual trust,” Mr Sanwo-Olu said.

The governor reiterated that public relations professionals should inform and persuade the public to maintain a positive and favourable attitude that would engender the desired confidence and mutual trust.

According to him, once this lofty goal is attained, there will be mutual understanding and harmony, which are essential to “achieving our national and development goals”.

“In an atmosphere of mutual trust and understanding, the citizens will be willing to make the needed sacrifices since they understand that the policies and programmes implemented are indeed for long-term benefit.

“Peace and development remain the calling of our times because, in that atmosphere, enormous opportunities for social and economic development are created and will exist sustainably,” he said.

Mr Sanwo-Olu, therefore, implored public relations professionals to brace up to the responsibilities of the current socio-economic realities and come up with strategies that would enable us to achieve the lofty goals.

“As leaders, we must also demonstrate a genuine and sincere commitment to the plight of the people by being more accountable, transparent, and proactive in the implementation process,” he said.

According to the governor, his administration’s T.H.E.M.E.S. + Agenda strives to make new progress in building a moderately prosperous society in an all-around way that will benefit all residents of Lagos State.

“Under our THEMES+ agenda, more progress will be made in science, health, environment, education, and better livability regarding infrastructure, transport, and traffic management.

“Our culture will be further enriched as governance will be all-inclusive, where women, gender equality, and child development will be on our top burner.

“Our agenda is people-oriented, comprehensive, all-inclusive, balanced, and sustainable,” he said.

Mr Sanwo-Olu added that his THEMES+ agenda would also remove physical isolation and mutual exclusion by eliminating obstacles and obstructions of the mind as well as various prejudices and misunderstandings, hence our all-inclusivity plus.

“We intend to pursue rigorous communication of our ideology and developmental plan with a view to reducing to the barest minimum all excuses of mutual confrontation and misunderstanding between us and the citizenry.

“This will be achieved by enhancing and promoting dialogue and interaction between the government and the governed, as well as drawing on each other’s strengths.

“This, we believe, is the road to greater Lagos and greater happiness for all Lagosians,” the governor said.

The governor expressed confidence in the congress’s ability to produce new ideas and strategies that would engender more people’s confidence and contribute further to social and economic development.

Also speaking, the president of BEEC, Mike Okereke, said that in a polarised world where there is mistrust and misunderstanding, the need for public relations best practices to occupy the centre stage of governance cannot be overemphasised.

According to him, it is wrong to call on public relations to promote or defend policies in which their input was sought at the planning stage.

He said that when nations prepare national development plans without a backup public relations strategy to leverage the plan, the resultant effect is failure.

He emphasised that for any national plan to succeed, the key stakeholders must be carried along, while citizens and other stakeholders must all buy into the plan.

(NAN)