Information minister Mohammed Idris has called on the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) to key into President Bola Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ to move Nigeria forward.

Mr Idris gave the charge when the council of NIPR led by its president paid him a courtesy visit on Thursday in Abuja.

The minister said he was impressed by NIPR’s plans to embark on multi-sectoral engagements on Public Relations in maritime, energy, enterprise, and aviation, among others.

Idris said, “The more we sectorise our profession, the better for us, and the people will now see that there is specialisation. It will also help to deepen knowledge. Everything that will make it possible for NIPR to succeed, we will do under my watch here. I am committed to that.

“But I count on you, the president and members of council of the NIPR to key into the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, especially in the eight priority areas that he has lined up for our country.”

Mr Idris stressed the need for collaboration between NIPR and the Federal Ministry of Information to close the perceived information gap between the government and its citizens.

“We know that there is little hardship occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy; we need a lot of PR approach to that. We can see some gaps, but when we collaborate with NIPR, we can close the gaps. It has been said that 50 per cent of execution is in the communication. So, if we don’t communicate, there would be problems. Let us imbibe that to move our country forward,” he said.

Ike Neliaku, NIPR president, said the institute had lined up activities for the next two years that would take Nigeria to the next level.

Mr Neliaku said the institute was planning to initiate a programme called ‘Rebirth Nigeria’, which would deal with ‘Citizen Education and Value Re-orientation’, ‘Operation Made in Nigeria’ and ‘Service Delivery Excellence’.

“We are proposing that these initiatives be coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation and NIPR, which we will operate in collaboration with the National Orientation Agency, NASIMA and Nollywood. Others are the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment and Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy,” he said.

Mr Neliaku added that other activities included the Directors’ Conference, the commencement of implementation of the Citizens Summit and many others that would move the country forward. 

(NAN)