The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) is seeking the collaboration of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in executing its strategy for effecting the elusive national integration.
The institute sought the commission’s collaboration when a four-man council team, led by Dr. Ike Neliaku on behalf of institute’s president Mukhtar Sirajo visited the NCC headquarters to intimate the commission’s executive vice chairman, Prof. Umar Danbatta of its upcoming National Integration Summit (NIS) slated for August this year.
Neliaku said the key objective of the visit was for the institute to seek out ways to leverage communication to address security concerns, enhance peace-building and facilitate national integration. Describing NCC as one of the pillars of Nigeria’s national integration efforts, he said the institute believes the commission will partner in the successful hosting of the ‘Citizens Summit on National Integration, Peace and Security (CSNIPS)’ slated to take place in Abuja, from August 23 to 24, 2022.
Neliaku said, leading up to the summit, the institute had organised zonal dialogue sessions with leaders of thought, representing ethnic and institutional interests and met with a diverse group of state and non-state actors as a way of rallying all stakeholders to support the project and participate in the implementation of its resolutions.
“The central objective of this summit is to emplace a new way of re-inventing citizenship” he said, emphasising that the proposed summit fits into the NIPR’s doctrinal professional practice principles to build and maintain image, relationship, peace and harmony.
Also, he applauded the NCC under Danbatta’s leadership for exceptionally upholding the legal prescriptions of the institute in appointing professionals in the management of its public relations activities, which also aligns with professional principles and practice of public relations as prescribed in the NIPR Charter. “This explains why the NIPR is always enthusiastic about partnering with NCC whenever the opportunity presents itself and we look forward to NCC’s support towards the successful hosting of the summit.”
The NCC’s director of public affairs, Reuben Muoka, who received the team on behalf of Danbatta, said the purpose of the visit was striking, given the disposition of the EVC, who admires every effort towards national integration. He promised that the commission would certainly partner with the institute on what he described as “impressive, seminal and laudable project”.
In a statement he signed, Muoka said the EVC of NCC holds the institute in high esteem, “and cherished the visit and asked me to receive you in his stead. You can rest assured that he will be positive to this request for collaboration for the good of the nation”.
The NCC spokesman said he was particularly delighted that a delegation from the institute to which he belonged would be the first he received since he resumed as the director of public affairs at the commission.
Muoka informed the delegation – made up of Neliaku, Brig. Gen. Sani Usman (Rtd.), Lady Chinenye Ihuoma and Ohaeri Osondu, all fellows and council members of NIPR – that the commission will continue to collaborate with the NIPR for direction in best practices in corporate relations.
