World PR Day: NIPR urges members to uphold integrity, ethical standards

…As Osakwe, Oghenesivbe, Igben, Anho, Nwabudike, others clamour for factual story telling in governance

Public Relations experts in Delta State under the umbrella of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations, NIPR, on Wednesday in Asaba, urged its members, especially government spokespersons to always uphold the truth, self esteem, integrity and ethical standards in the discharge of their assigned responsibilities as encapsulated in NIPR’s Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.

The PR experts selected from the academia, government and the corporate world brainstormed on the topic: “The Power of PR in Governance and Nation Building” to mark the year 2025 World Public Relations Day with the theme, “Building Bridges and Navigating Polarization.”

State Chairman and Fellow of NIPR, Godfrey Osakwe, said truth remains the oxygen of Public Relations, pointing out that propaganda, disinformation and misinformation are alien to public relations practice all over the world.

He disclosed that the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) was established in 1963, and attained the status of a Chartered Institute on 1st June, 1990 through Decree No. 16, now an Act of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Osakwe further states that the Law empowers NIPR to register members, regulate, monitor the practice and development of the PR Profession, and at the same time monitor professional conducts through an established Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.

He reminded governments and corporate leaders of the legal implications of hiring non members of NIPR as either government spokespersons, heads of communication departments, agencies, units as well as Public Relations Officers, pointing out that the Act of the National Assembly which established NIPR clearly states that only licensed members of the Institute are to occupy the above listed positions either in government or in the corporate world.

Osakwe who is a fellow of NIPR, urge licensed government spokespersons, Public Relations Executives and Consultants in Delta State and by extension Nigeria, to disassociate themselves from unethical practices, and to strictly abide by the NIPR Professional Code of Ethics, emphasizing the need for NIPR Members to serve without blemish.

“It’s our core assigned responsibilities to build bridges and navigate Polarization through factual story telling, strategic deployment of PR tools to build trust and mutual understanding by leveraging positive two-way communication to promote and encourage citizens participation in governance,” Osakwe said.

In the same vein, the Director General of Delta State Bureau for Communications and Orientation, Dr Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe Esq, said the World Public Relations Day is a global celebration of the public relations profession, highlighting its importance in building relationships, fostering understanding, and promoting positive communication.

He noted that the state’s NIPR topic titled, “The Power of PR in Governance and Nation Building,” was Apt, emphasizing the need for strategic and factual story telling, as well as crafting messages and creating contents that helps to build trust and mutual understanding between governments and citizens or between leaders and the led in public and private sectors.

Dr Oghenesivbe who is also the Public Relations Executive of the Delta State Chapter of NIPR, posited that it was, and still the duty of government spokespersons to professionally deploy both PR tools and two-way strategic communication to bridge gaps between governments, citizens, and stakeholders through transparent and inclusive communication, adding that PR is a management function that cannot be ignored by governments or responsible organizations.

“It’s the duty of licensed PR practitioners and government spokespersons to leverage PR to drive development and progress in corporate and public governance, highlighting successes, and promoting citizens engagement, projecting policies and programmes by constantly explaining them to citizens via multifaceted communication channels.

“The power of PR in Governance connotes building trust and credibility in government institutions, supporting development and progress, building bridges, foster understanding, and at the same time promoting positive change,” Oghenesivbe said.

The panel session featured distinguished voices from academia and the communication sector, including Dr. Joy Erure Anho, Deputy Rector of Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku; Dr. Collins Kediehor of Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba; Dr. Fidelis Chike Nwadike, Head of the Department of Mass Communication at Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku; and Dr. Harvey Egben, former Head of the Department of Mass Communication, DELSU, Abraka.

Collectively, the Panelists underscored the vital role of public relations professionals as strategic intermediaries between government and the public, tasked with countering misinformation, managing crises, and promoting truthful, impactful storytelling.
***

#fredlatimore