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Information Officers Training Workshop Ends In PH
A two-day training workshop organised by the Rivers State Government for information officers in the state Ministry of Information and Communications ended last week with a call on participants to apply the the knowledged gained to the discharge of their duty.
Director for publications in the ministry, Mr Samuel Iyoyo, who gave the advice said the workshop is critical in view of the policy of the ministry’s leadership to constantly build the capacity of its workforce.
He expressed gratitude to Commissioner of Information and Communications, Mrs Ibim Semenitari, for her uncompromising stand to staff development and also thanked the permanent secretary, Mrs. Jokotade Adamu for supporting the commissioner to break new grounds in public information management.
Speaking during the opening ceremony of the workshop Wednesday in Port Harcourt, Mrs Ibim described information officers as bridge builders between the government and the people, noting that by virtue of their strategic position, they should ensure that programmes and policies of the government are understood and to also get feedback of the people.
The commissioner said that through effective management of information and peoples’ feedback government would be properly guided on the impact of its programmes in the people.
Theme of the workshop is “Advanced News Reporting Techniques for Improved Public Sector Performance” and about 45 participants from the ministry and its parastatals were trained.
Areas covered by the training were, “The FOI Act Operational Parameters for information officers,” The functorial framework for information officers in a deregulated media environment,” Press Releases Versus Propaganda,” ‘Online Journalism” amongst others with experts in Mass Communications as resource persons.
One of the participants, Mr Vivian Peace Nwinaenee said the training was a wonderful opportunity for participants and noted that the experience gained would impact on their job delivery.
She commended Rivers State Government particularly the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs Ibim Semenetari, for initiating the programme expressing hope that it would be extended to her colleagues during other series of the programme.
Chris Oluoh