The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations has appealed to the Federal Government to restore its budgetary provision to enable it to carry out its statutory responsibility of information management.
The President of NIPR, Mukhtar Sirajo, made the appeal on Wednesday in Abuja at the induction of new members and inauguration of committees for the re-positioning of the institute.
Sirajo said the inauguration of the committees became necessary, going by the institute’s desire for professionalism in the practise of public relations.
He also urged the new inductees to uphold the tenets of the profession and shun unprofessional conduct.
“The NIPR has for some years now been excluded from the usual budgetary support from the Federal Government; this has placed a lot of stress on us particularly with regard to our recurrent expenditures like staff members emoluments.
“Our position is a regulatory body under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture.
“It means that we are obliged to sustain our staff members on salaries and other entitlements they used to enjoy when we were on the budget line of the Federal Government.
“While we appeal to the FG through our supervising Ministry to restore NIPR to its full entitlements in this regard, it behoves us to be more creative in expanding our alternative sources of revenues to remain afloat.
“The Council shall count on the support and initiative of the committees to improve its revenue profile,” Sirajo said.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Information, Deaconess Grace Gekpe, on her part, charged the committees and other members of the institute to rise up to the occasion and ensure that the desired change was brought to the institute.
Gekpe, represented by the Deputy Director, Information, and Head Child Rights Information Bureau (CRIB), said time had come for professionalism in the institute.
“It is pertinent to note that statutory committees are saddled with the responsibilities of directing the activities of the institute, ensuring it is well run in consonant with the laws that established it.
“In addition, committees are set up to provide leadership by setting strategic directions to guide and direct the activities of the institute as well as ensure effective management of the institute and its activities.
“The dream behind the inauguration of these committees is to build, develop and sustain a working secretariat/institute where members get value for membership as well as add to the human capital development of the nation.
“I want to implore all members of the committee to put in their best in the discharge of their duties in order to advance the image of the institute,” Gekpe said.
Mr Tony Iredia, who spoke on behalf of the committees, said they would ensure a new dawn in the institute especially as it concerned the eradication of quacks.
He said: “What NIPR stands for today is not good, we need to have a change.
“We must communicate things the right way. We must not see these committees like the ones in the National Assembly.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 20 new members were inducted into the institute.
Also nine committees including Professional Ethics and Disciplinary Committee, Education Advisory Board, Membership Services Committee and Policy and Strategy Committee were inaugurated.
Others were Establishment and Corporate Governance Committee, Fellowship Advisory Committee, Chapter Relations Committee, Compliance Committee and Corporate Relations Committee.
A minute silence was observed for members of the institute who lost their lives including Sen. Joseph Waku from Benue State.
Source: NAN
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