The Nigerian Institution of Public Relations, Rivers State Chapel, said the organization views series of corruption in the country as a social embarrassment and a hindrance to our economic development.
The state chairman of the body, Barr. Karibi T. George, made the remark in a welcome address he presented during the state conference/annual general meeting at the auditorium of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Port Harcourt, on Thursday, May 3, 2012.
The meeting which has the theme: Communicating government policies, attracted so many personalities from the federal, state and local government, including stakeholders in the field of Public Relations.
Barr. George stated that “the constant corruption in Nigeria has continued to interfere with our socio-economic and political development such that individuals in government position have continued to use such to acquire personal wealth to the detriment of the nation, a situation where the pension funds scam and the petroleum subsidy has attracted a probe panel by the National Assembly which shows an unequivocal example of corruption with impurity.”
The state chairman also noted that the federal government under President Goodluck Jonathan has made some substantial improvement in power supply, and saluted the federal government for making a regulation allowing state government and private enterprises to participate in the generation and distribution of electricity in the country.
He said the AGM will avail members the opportunity to discuss extensively on issues bordering members and the Nation at large while condemning the Boko Haram and the insanity in some part of the country, especially the bombing of places of worship and media Houses.
In a press interview shortly after the event, the chairman, NIPR, Rivers State chapel, Barr. Karibi George, said he counted himself fortunate for the number of dignitaries that graced the occasion, especially the chairman of the AGM Senator George Thompson Sekibo, commissioner of Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semintari, Special Assistant to Governor, political office holders and stake holders.
He said “obviously there is gap between understanding and perception of government programmes and policies because of inadequate flow of information, and information must be both ways. This means that government at any level must hear from the people.”
Earlier, the Keynote speaker, Hon. Kingsley Kuku, represented at the event by Mr. Lawrence Pepple, Technical Assistant/Head Reintegration department of the Amnesty programme, enumerated the challenges facing the amnesty programme of the federal government, stating that people are rewarded because they carry guns. He asked about those who did not engage in militancy. Kingsley Kuku stated in his opening remarks that amnesty programme has changed the fortune of the country, as the programme has trained so many youths as pilots, welders and engaged them in other professional work.
On goodwill message, special Assistant to the governor on Aqua culture and Deep sea fishing, Mr. Okuru Briggs and Hon. Owonari Brown House committee on Information also contributed.
Other stakeholders maintained that public relation is not propaganda or image laundry; neither is it to give money but goodwill among people at all times for social development. ##
Pius Dukor
