Lai Mohammed charges  officers to engage publicity platforms of ministry

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed urged Resident Information Officers(RIO) to engage all the contemporary publicity platforms to publicise the activities of the Federal Government. On Thursday.

The minister gave the charge during an interactive meeting with the RIOs in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the RIOs are information mangers posted to various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) by the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture.

The minister urged all RIOs to use the various publicity platforms of the ministry such as its website (www.fimc.gov.ng) and the National Portal (www.nigeria.gov.ng.) to achieve additional reach.

“In this way, you will create a veritable pool of information from which I as Minister of Information and Culture and the spokesperson of the government can speak on issues pertaining to any MDA without hesitation.

“The task before us is enormous, we must take our responsibilities more seriously as part of the effort to effectively play our role as champions of change.’’

Mohammed urged RIOs to re-double their efforts to keep Nigerians informed about the efforts of the government to bring about the change that it had promised.

“Today, in view of the difficult situations being faced by Nigerians due to the lingering fuel scarcity, the poor power supply and inflation, they (Nigerians) are beginning to question the genuineness of the Change Agenda.

“This means we have to re-double our efforts to keep Nigerians informed about the efforts of the government to bring about the change that we have promised.’’

“It is no news that as the lead ministry in driving the Change Agenda, the responsibility to strategically communicate this administration’s efforts falls squarely on us.

“It is obvious that no matter what the Federal Government does, if it is not reported, it is as good as not done. We are the center point of all MDAs hence we cannot afford to fail.’’

The minister, therefore, urged RIOs to keep Nigerians duly informed of the activities of government and get a feedback from the people using all their professional and ethical skills.

“It is important that we start by looking inwards as professional information managers.

“We remain the major drivers in the vehicle of change; we must become the champion of change for us to successfully propagate the change agenda.’’

He said that RIOs’ duties were critical to the overall success of the Federal Government as the expectation of Nigerians in the present dispensation was high.

Mohammed said that he had directed that a training programme be put together as soon as possible for all RIOs to build their capacity and further enhance their performance.

According to him, “the Vice President has graciously accepted to declare the training session open.”

The minister however said there was need to make RIO part of the decision making process of the MDAs.

He said that if RIOs were part and parcel of the policy making process, they would adequately inform Nigerians on the activities of MDAs.

“For you to function effectively, you must be part of the decision-making process of your places of deployment.

“In this regard, I want to assure you that I have been engaging my colleagues and other Chief Executives to plead for their cooperation.

“So that they will make you part and parcel of the policy making process to facilitate your ability to adequately inform Nigerians on the activities of your MDAs.’’

The minister, who described RIOs as field officers for the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, urged them not to fail “to notify the ministry about your activities.”(NAN)