General Enenche: An Engineer in PR Turf? Haba

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27/03/2017

By Yushau A. Shuaib

The founding fathers of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) fought for the enactment of Decree No. 16 of 1990 (now an Act of the National Assembly) to regulate and monitor conformity to the ethical standards of Public Relations (PR) practice in Nigeria.

The law bars non-members from practicing public communication in the country. The regulation also empowers the Institute to prosecute offenders. They feared then, that the profession was being infiltrated by all-comers who knew little or nothing about the PR practice.

Today, their fears have been confirmed as the PR profession in Nigeria is saturated by quacks apart from the ill-equipped, unqualified and inexperience persons assigned to handle public relations jobs.

There is a need for sanity in the profession because PR strives on sustaining mutual relationship through reputation management, crisis communication, media relations among other strategies in projecting positive image of individuals and organisations. It therefore requires qualifications, skills and experiences to practice.

While the existing law empowers the Institute to sanction and prohibit non-registered members from public relations practice, NIPR is weak in enforcing compliance. Other professional bodies have aggressively advocated and ensured only qualified members hold top positions in credible institutions in the public and private sectors. It is impossible and would sound absurd to appoint non-professionals who lack requisite qualifications and experiences in Medicine, Law, Accountancy and Engineering among others to head respective departments in reputable organisations. The professional bodies ensure that only their qualified members, such as lawyers, Doctors, Accountants and Engineers oversee such offices.

It is rather disturbing the recent appointment of an Engineer, Major General John Enenche as the Director of Defence Information (DDI) which invariably makes him the spokesperson for the entire military sector in Nigeria that include the Army, Airforce, Navy and intelligence agencies.

A qualified Engineer with Advance Diploma in Military Engineering, Enenche attended Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering (NASME), Makurdi for various engineering courses and qualifications while his areas of Interest is Civil Engineering Project Supervision. Though his hobbies include listening to gospel music and monitoring news and current affairs, General Enenche does not have the mandatory requirement to practice Public Relations in Nigeria.

Undoubtedly, General Enenche, from his profile, is a man who has received several prestigious honours and commendation awards in the military. We have no reason to fault this humble and hardworking officer for accepting military posting. The Defence Headquarters should nevertheless know that by Nigerian law it is an aberration to assign non-qualified and non-registered professional to practice public relations in Nigeria.

At a Regional Media Seminar organised in Rivers State by the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC) for security spokespersons in July 2016, the former Director Defence Information, retired Major General Chris Olukolade said that “It is illegal to practice Public Relations in Nigeria without certification.”

General Olukolade, a Fellow of NIPR and Chairman of Enforcement Committee of the Institute added that the Institute was undertaking membership certification and re-certification to weed out quackery in the profession. He therefore enjoined all Security agencies to comply with the law.

The recent appointment of an Army Engineer for a PR job is therefore clearly a deviation from established norms and practices by the military. PR practice should not be undermined by portraying it as a profession that doesn’t require any qualification or skills. It was in recognition of importance of capacity building and promotion of professionalism that the military established Nigerian Army School of Public Relations, and Information (Naspri). Some of those that passed through the training centre including their tutors are some of the highly qualified, competent and finest serving military officers, among them ‘Generals’ in rank and grounded in public relations practice.

As a regulatory body for image makers and reputation managers, NIPR has a lot to do in its advocacy and engagement with respective institutions to abide by the law guiding appointments into top positions in PR and Communication jobs in Nigeria. It should also emulate other bodies that jealously guard the integrity of their members and proudly protect the dignity of their professions.

The NIPR should therefore use its powers appropriately in sanctioning individuals or organisations that abuse the regulations as regards appointment, promotion, discipline and other sundry requirement of public communication.

Yushau A. Shuaib can be reached through his email: yashuaib@yahoo.com

Balanced Scorecard Institute brings strategy execution programme to Africa

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Africaprimenews

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27/03/2017

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Kenyan Peter Kahihu is Executive Director of the Programs Execution at Balanced Scorecard Institute EMEA. He is a veteran in the field of strategy execution and author of four best selling books on Strategic Planning, Balanced Scorecard, Government Performance Management and Public Sector Reforms. Africa Business Communities interviews him on the current programs and events of the Institute:

Balanced Scorecard Institute EMEA is a strategy management company that provides training, certification and consulting and technology services to commercial, government and non-profit organizations. I am the Executive Director in charge of programs execution in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

How does Balanced Scorecard assist organizations to manage performance beyond bottomline profits and sales?

Any institution is guided by its mission, vision and of course the people driving these values. Typically institutions tend to focus on financial aspects, profits and sales. This approach is no longer delivering desired results. This is because focus was not given to the real value drivers such as customer service, customer loyalty and the employee satisfaction and culture, which are key to delivering results. Organizations were generally more operational driven. Balanced Scorecard is more forward-looking and strategic. It’s about how to manage your future performance today, by focusing efforts on the real drivers of performance on a more regular basis as opposed to the traditional and outdated annual performance reviews.

Balanced Scorecard Institute is the only organization that trains and certifies in the 10 Steps XSP process. Tell a bit more about it?

Our unique execution success process (XSP) is the only integrated strategy execution system proven to deliver breakthrough results. This BSCi EMEA’s 10-Step Execution Success Process shows you how to construct and sustain a strategy management system tailored to your organization. It walks managers through the process of developing the strategy to successful execution applying the system’s thinking approach.

Our goal is to become your long-term partner, earning your trust through our expertise, excellent advisory skills and commitment to your success.

One aspect of benchmarking for employees in Africa is performance contracting. How would you rate its success in the continent?

Nigeria, Gambia, Ghana and Kenya have developed performance contract systems to manage productivity of their public sectors. From our analyses, we have noted that the results of performance contracting have been mixed. In some countries, there has been a general and sustained public enterprise improvement. In others, public enterprises have not responded or have been prevented by government policies from doing so. Public enterprises in Africa are suffering financially, many seeking financial assistance. Their problems stem from unclear and conflicting objectives and a lack of autonomy and accountability.

The other major problem is the lack of expertise in coming up with great execution frameworks that ensure that people, processes and resources are effectively aligned to the strategy.

Are there success stories of balanced scorecard in Africa that you can speak on?

In the countries where we have a presence including Kenya, Mauritius, Zambia, Botswana, Ethiopia, Namibia, Nigeria, Lesotho, Swaziland and Sudan we have noted a structured and impressive uptake of our services as businesses increasingly become aware of the need to execute their strategies and to streamline activities in accordance to the vision and mission of those organizations. We have received impressive feedback from organizations that say that it has become easier for them to manage employees, stick to and meet targets while managing risks.

Source: APO

Nigerian Youths Urge To Shun Indiscipline

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Africaprimenews

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27/03/2017

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By Lontong Ibrahim

Vice President, Boys Brigade of Nigeria, northwest zone, Daniel Dan’inna Attah, has urged Nigerian youths to desist from any act of Indiscipline.

He noted that the high rate of indiscipline among young people could lead to the breakdown of law and order in a society.

Attah made the call at the end of a training workshop for Boys Brigade officers of the zone in Kaduna, saying that discipline among youths was a key element to having a peaceful and growing society.

He observed that parents have a great role in ensuring their wards become responsible.

He said the essence of their gathering was to train the officers of the Boys Brigade on the need to respect constituted authorities and ensure discipline among members who are largely young people.

In their separate remarks, the keynote speaker Pastor Musa Kajan, and the Chairman of the organizing committee, Titus Awan, called on government to provide job opportunities and create the enabling environment for the teeming unemployed youths of the country so as to reduce all forms of social vices in the society.

They also appealed to parents to always strive hard in inculcating good morals on their children.

The theme of the workshop, ‘Sustaining the Philosophy of the Boys Brigade Ministry and Training the Youths against Indiscipline.’

Promoting Peace: Fulani Herdsmen Attend Church Service In Kaduna

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Africaprimenews

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26/03/2017

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A team of Fulani men under the umbrella body of Miyatti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) on Sunday attended Sunday worship with Christian brethren at the Christ Evangelical Intercessory Fellowship Ministry, Sabon Tasha in Kaduna, northwest Nigeria.

This effort according to the leader of the delegation, who is also the Assistant National Secretary of MACBAN, Ibrahim Abdullahi, was geared towards encouraging and strengthening peaceful coexistence and tolerance in the state.

Abdullahi noted that, to achieve peace, there is need for them to sit with all stakeholders in order to come up with a lasting solution that can help government to get a lasting solution to crisis in the state especially in Southern Kaduna.

He added that, “We must together stand as one brothers and sisters in the region irrespective of our religious, cultural and ethnicities differences. We must bring to an end the continuous killing of innocent citizens, and the destruction of properties worth millions which is setting our region backward day-by-day.”

“we truly visited the church today so as to mixed and interact with our brothers and Sisters of southern Kaduna to let them know that the problem of insecurity that is affecting the region is also affecting the Nomad’s children and their future; therefore, everyone must contribute his/her own quota in order to overcome the that challenges,” he said.

Also speaking, the State Chairman of MACBAN, Haruna Usman, expressed happiness over the increase peace in the state, adding that, there is the need for government at all levels to redouble their effort towards restoring absolute peace in southern Kaduna.

While calling on government to create more interfaith dialogue between the two major religions in the country to promote peace and unity among all, Usman however called on Nigerians not to relent in praying for the peace of the region and country as a whole.

In his remarks, the general overseer of Christ Evangelical Intercessory Fellowship Ministry, Pastor Yohanna Buru thanked the Fulani group for their effort in promoting peace and dialogue, saying, their coming to church does not make them Christian, but a part of peace mission in inter-faith activities.

He however called on both Muslims and Christians to unite and fight their common enemies who are benefitting from the crisis and continue to pray for God’s intervention

Kaduna Must Achieve Its National Target Of Family Planning To Witness Significant Reduction In Maternal Deaths — Iliya Kure

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Africaprimenews

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26/03/2017

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By Joy Odor

For Kaduna to reduce its high rate of maternal death, the state must raise the number of women spacing their births from the 507,017 figure of 2015 to 856,183 by the end of next year.

This was stated by a Development Journalist, Iliya Kure at a two day intensive training of Kaduna-Based Online Journalists, Bloggers and Social Media Operators on effective reportage of Family Planning, organized by Development Communications Network with support from the Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative-NURHI.

“Nigeria has developed a Family Planning Blueprint which all the states have adopted; some states have gone far in implementing, though others are still lagging behind. The idea of the National Blueprint launched in 2014, is to have 36% of Nigerian women of reproductive age spacing their birth by the end of next year,” he said.

Mr. Kure who was also a Child Birth Spacing Advocate said according to an analysis conducted in 2015 by a non-governmental organization–Palladium Group—for the State to reach this goal, about 350,000 married women need to start childbirth spacing to improve their health, and that of their babies.

“Kaduna State government has budgeted N100 million naira to be spent in 2017 on items like cotton wool, syringes, hand gloves and the likes, to make child birth services free of charge to all interested women. Absence of these have discouraged many women from accessing the services,” he said

He opined that if the state government meets the target, 4,000 maternal deaths and 28,000 children’s death would be averted by end of next year.

The Development Journalist recommended that families should space the birth of their children for twenty-four months to reduce the risk of maternal and children deaths.

It’s Time To Reboot Nigeria-Senator Kaura

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Africaprimenews

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24/03/2017

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By Amos Tauna

Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Tijjani Yahaya Kaura, has observed that it is time for Nigerian leaders, especially the law makers to reboot the country.

The Senator noted that majority of Nigerians that served as leaders were not entirely satisfied with their performance, hence the need to reboot the nation.

Senator Kaura who stated this on Friday in Kaduna, northern Nigeria while delivering a keynote address at the 2017 Retreat for Legislators, organised by the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, lamented that, Legislatures prior after independence were rarely accused of corruption whether rightly or wrongly.

He said it was in recognition of that, that the 8th National Assembly members had worked hard to uphold moral rectitude in line with the oath they took and in line with ‘the change begins with me’ mantra of the current administration.

The Senator assured that the 8th Senate would ensure that the issue of corruption will continue to be in the front burner of national discourse.

According to him, Nigeria’s democratic status would have probably collapsed and fallen like a pack of ill-arranged cards, if not for the timely intervention of the legislative arm.

“The 8th National Assembly has been engaged in improving governance, improving business and improving the livelihood of Nigerians. It is our belief that doing so will in the long run improve the economy and ultimately guarantee a better life for our people through law making, its oversight functions, which has led to blocking of leakages in the purse of the Federal Government.

“Before independence and through to the post-independence era, legislatures in Nigeria were rarely accused of corruption, rightly or wrongly. Indeed, corruption or any type of vices was seen as an abomination and anathema within the political circle.

“The challenges confronting the legislature are not insurmountable. There must be a determined resolve on our side to face these challenges squarely, and ensure that the ethics of the parliament are complied with.

“We are also determined to meet the expectations of the citizens from us in the performance of our constitutional responsibilities,” he observed.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Acting Director General, National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Mr. Jonathan Juma, said an effective legislative institution that was responsive to public needs and actively involved in public policy process is imperative to advancing democracy in Nigeria.

He explained that the retreat was designed to enhance the basic knowledge and skills of the participants for more effective interaction with the executive, particularly in the area of policy making.

The retreat which had in attendance members of the House of Representatives Committee on Governmental Affairs and National executive members of Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC.

Nigerian Army Averts Farmers/Herdsmen Clash In Bayelsa State

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Africaprimenews

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23/03/2017

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By Lontong Ibrahim

Troops of 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, have averted farmers/herdsmen clash at Akenfa 1, 2
and 3 communities in Yenagoa Local government Area of Bayelsa state, southern Nigeria.

Spokesperson of the Nigeria Army, Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka Usman, said they were able to avert the clash following an intelligence report on activities of suspected herdsmen in the communities.

In the past one year, Nigeria has been experiencing incessant farmers/herdsmen clashes which has led to lost of hundreds lives and properties worth millions of naira. The states affected recently are Kaduna and Benue state in central Nigeria.

According to the spokesperson, while carrying out a general and aggressive patrol, the locals reported that some herdsmen while grazing along the area, allowed their cattle to eat up cassava from
their farmland.

“The patrol ensured that the matter was reported to the police where it is being addressed toward arriving at an amicable resolution between the parties involved.

“The troops in conjunction with other security agencies have continued to patrol and track down criminals within Azikoro and Okada communities in Bayelsa State,” Usman explained.

In a different development, the troops in its continuing effort to checkmate oil bunkering and theft conducted an anti-bunkering patrol
to some suspected locations where bunkering activities were being perpetrated in Rivers State, southern Nigeria.

The troops raided one of such locations at Buguma where a local refinery was found and destroyed.

Also discovered in the general area were tanks containing crude oil and 4 Cotonou boats also containing illegally refined crude oil products, the Army Spokesperson noted in a statement.

“Similarly, the troops deployed at Oron conducted patrol within the terminal in Mbo local government area to checkmate criminals, cultists and sea pirates’ activities while troops deployed along Eket-Onna road equally conducted patrol although no arrest was made,” the statement
added.

World Water Day: Nigeria Committed To Ensuring Water Availability, Sustainable Management

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Africaprimenews

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23/03/2017

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By Lontong Ibrahim

Nigeria has expressed its commitment towards achieving the goal six (6) target of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on water.

The cipountry’s minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman H. Adamu noted that goal six on water ensures availability and sustainable management of
water and sanitation for all.

The minister said that access to water and sanitation wss often taken for granted in developing countries like Nigeria because most often, people see water as a free commodity; saying, “We waste water, we do not treat it and we do not preserve it.”

He noted that World Water Day is held annually on March 22 as a means of focusing attention on the importance of fresh water and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources globally.

Adamu further stressed that the Ministry on its part was doing everything possible to attaining the goal six target on water by adopting a national approach to most of its activities and programmes.

According to him, the Partnership for Expanded Water Supply and Hygiene (PEWASH) recently launched by the Vice President and the National
Water Resources Bill awaiting approval would address all issues militating against the attainment of Goal 6 of the SDGs on water.

While making his remarks, the Director-General, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA),Yakubu Ibn Mohammed, pointed out that Nigeria needs
Water literacy.

He said, “In Nigeria, we waste water a lot, so there is
the need to educate Nigerians on the importance of preserving water for future uses and we in NTA will partner with your ministry to educate Nigerians.”

The theme for this year’s celebration, “waste water,” highlights the symbiosis between water and waste water in a quest for attaining goal six of the sustainable development goals.

It would also help to get latest updates on how waste water is perceived as a valuable resource
in the development of the economy through public enlightenment.

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