A Senator-elect, Chief Osita Izunaso, has said that when inaugurated, the 10th National Assembly will look towards amending the Act setting up the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) which he said has become moribund.
According to Izunaso, a former Council Member of the Institute, NIPR is one of the foremost organisations in Nigeria that moulds opinion and sets agenda for national discourse.
Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday at a dinner organised in honour of three fellows of the Institute recently elevated to top management positions at their places of work, Izunaso, a former Organising Secretary of the ruling APC, said NIPR should be strengthened for effective performance in view of its critical role of building and managing the reputation of the country.
The promoted fellows of the Institute are Wale Adeniyi recently elevated to the rank of Deputy Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim recently elected National Internal Auditor of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Osondu Ohaeri now a Deputy Corps Commander of Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).
According to Izunaso, the enormous task fostering understanding, promotion of mutual respect and strengthening of relationship among different stakeholders for national development cannot be achieved with weak regulatory framework, stressing that certain sections of the NIPR Law need urgent legislative attention.
“NIPR is one of the foremost institutions in Nigeria that shapens opinion of what happens in this country. It markets humans, services and products in the overall interest of our country. But I have discovered that the Act setting up NIPR has become moribund and I believe that in 10th Assembly, we should be able to amend the Act setting up NIPR”.
In his remarks, the President of NIPR, Mallam Mukhtar Zubairu Sirajo, noted that application of professional skills earned the promoted members their new ranks.
He said the Institute is proud of achievements of its members, noting engagement of competent and capable professional hands in every facet was what the nation needed to make meaningful progress.
The newly promoted Deputy Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Wale Adeniyi while thanking friends and associates for gathering to celebrate them noted that it requires hard work to gain promotion in public service.
According to Adeniyi, many have worked hard without promotion, while others who have been promoted are not celebrated, expressing gratitude to NIPR family for putting in place a forum to celebrate the success of its members.
Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim and Osondu Ohaeri, in their separate remarks, also pledged to give their best in projecting the image of NIPR and serving the country.
Some of the dignitaries in attendance were the Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Segun Runsewe, Chairman, United Nigeria Airlines, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo and House of Representatives Member-elect (AMAC/Bwari, Federal Constituency, FCT), Comrade Joshua Chinedu Obike.
