Rivers State Ministry of Information and Communications is organizing the first ever State Council on Information with the theme “Public Information Management as tool for good governance”, on Thursday, 13th June, 2013 at Presidential Hotel Banquet Hall. The Commissioner, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari who said this in a meeting with newsmen and the GM of the Parastatals in her office stated that the purpose of the meeting was to discuss with stakeholders on how to achieve successful hosting of the State council on Information.
Mrs. Ibim Semenitari asked for memoranda from various stakeholders and said their imputes would be critical and enduring in order to have a good state information policy. The Commissioner urged media owners to also bring their imputes on information policy which would be adopted, noting that the State information policy has to emanate from practitioners within the sector.
Mrs. Semenitari disclosed that the keynote speaker is the Chairman of Nigerian Human Right commission, Prof. Chidi Odikalu with other few speakers, stressing that it is the first time any state in the federation is going in this direction she said the forum would enable practitioners to sit down and brainstorm on matters that affects the sector and stressed that at the state level, information interaction must transcend to public sector.
The Commissioner, said that as information managers, there is the need for partnership which goes beyond the very essence of information management and understanding the central role of communication and information in an emerging democracy and as well as need for domesticating the national council on information.
“As information managers, it’s critical to explain the element of governance because it is through information management that the people themselves can participate in their governance and ensure that information is not just seen as propaganda but can be seen as tool for good governance” Semenitari stated.
Speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs. Jokotade Adamu thanked the Commissioner for organizing such a programme and noted that “all hands must be on deck in order to achieve a successful outing”.
Earlier, the Director of Public Enlightenment, Mr. Paulinus Nsirim had noted that part of what would be expected in the programme would be workshop sessions which will includes new media, marketing challenges, citizens right to know, community journalism, information package and a mini exhibition for media practitioners to showcase their products and appealed that their imputes is very vital to the success of the programme.
