Nigeria image: Council calls for reopening of information centres abroad

Seventy seven delegates from 17 states of the federation at the just concluded 48th meeting of the National Council on Information and National Orientation have made key recommendations 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 at the event in Kaduna.

At the end of the deliberations on information management and other related issues, a communiqué issued by a 10-man drafting committee chaired by Binta Mamman (Hon Commissioner of Niger State) recommended that Nigeria Information Service Centres in 13 countries abroad should be re-opened for prompt decision making and reputation management to engender a positive image for the country globally.

Four regional/zonal headquarters within these centres were also recommended.

The communiqué read, “In addition the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) and Voice of Nigeria (VON) 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.

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“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.

“To revitalise the completion of construction of the Federal Government Printing Press (FGP) in Asokoro, Abuja, thereby ensuring its statutory duty of printing and publishing official and confidential documents of Government and its Agencies. In addition, States should consider patronising the FGP for printing of official documents for security and archival purposes.

“To strengthen the Nigeria Press Council for effective print media regulation in the country. To develop and promote strategic public information systems as a tool for inclusivity to address and mitigate political tension in the country.

“To adopt the News Agency of Nigeria’s initiative to expand its content production and dissemination to include indigenous Nigerian languages.

“To recommend to Heads of Information-based organisations to provide appropriate communication facilities/equipment/infrastructure, and a conducive working environment for their organisations. Media Houses should become fully digitalised for effective information dissemination and there is a need for improved conditions of service, salary structure and regular training for media practitioners to enhance their performance.”

The communique further highlighted the need to put in place a security framework in the form of insurance for media practitioners operating in insecure areas across Nigeria, in line with global best practices.

The communique however recommended collaboration between the Federal and State governments with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for nationwide media enlightenment and awareness campaigns on the dangers posed by use of illicit drugs.

“There should also be enlightenment campaigns and sensitisation on the dangers of terrorism, banditry and kidnapping to national image and development.

“That there should be more awareness created on the usage and management of social media to address the menace of misinformation, disinformation and fake news and to sustain the role of the media on information management for national security, recognising that that the media faces challenges as censorship, ownership influence and limited access to critical data, in shaping public opinion and promoting national security,” it added.

The council decried the incessant down grading as well as scrapping of Ministries of Information by some state governments and called on the state governments to urgently re-establish and re-equip them as well as train personnel to take up the challenge of disseminating policies, programme of actions and advocacy at all levels of government in line with international best practices.