*bags NIPR award of excellence for industrialization
Cross River state governor, Professor Ben Ayade has urged the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) to drive a process for a structural overhaul of lobbying as catalyst for social change in Nigeria.
Ayade who made the call at a 3-day workshop with the theme “Lobbying and Social Change in Nigeria” in Calabar today, stressed that the inclusion of lobbying as a distinct course of study in institutions of higher learning in Nigeria will enhance governance and the polity.
He added that unless this was done, ” lobbying, from the Nigerian context, will continue to be equated with bribery and corruption.”
The governor thanked the NIPR for conferring him with the Distinguished Leadership Industrialisation Award, saying it came to him as a surprise and pledged his administration’s continued accelerated socio- economic development of the state.
National President of the Institute, Mallam Mukhtar Zubairu Sirajo had earlier extolled Governor Ayade’s sterling achievements in the area of aggressive industrialisation of the state despite the paucity of funds.
“This award is in recognition of your Industrialisation feats. It takes a combination of education, intellect, dedication, foresight, visionary leadership and commitment to achieve what you have achieved so far in the area of Industrialisation,’’ Sirajo told the governor.
In his own remarks, the Minister for Information, Alhaji Lai Muhammed represented by the General Manager NTA, Calabar, Samuel Olalude, described lobbying as a veritable tool for packaging communications and advocacy for social issues.
According to the Minister, through lobbying, Public relations experts can play an important role in ensuring that messages are communicated accurately.