Experts task FG on communication training for ambassadors
Public Relations experts have tasked the Federal Government to allow Public Relations professionals to train Nigerian ambassadors and top government functionaries on the effective use of communication.
President Beec Consulting Group, Mr. Mike Okereke, gave this admonition recently saying that it was necessary for Nigerian ambassadors to be trained on how to communicate and build the reputation of the country among foreigners.
Okereke said this has become necessary because of the glaring inability of most Nigerian ambassadors to use communication and Public Relations strategies in promoting the reputation of the country while on diplomatic duties abroad.
Okereke who is the pioneer president of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, (NIPR), noted that building Nigeria’s reputation is the biggest problem facing the country, adding that if ambassadors could not promote the country using Public Relations strategies, it would further paint the country in bad light.
“Government should give us the opportunity to train their diplomatic people because diplomatic people all over the world are Public Relations people for government and if they don’t have the training, they will misfire” he said.
“I remember sometime ago, I was holding a programme in Kenya and I though it fit to invite the ambassador of Nigeria then to come and open it and I was expecting that the ambassador will be talking about the potentialities of Nigeria and how it has a right environment for investment, instead he was talking about 419, you know that was a wrong message. So, we should be able to train them on what to say,” Okereke said.
Speaking in the same vein, current national President of NIPR, Dr. Rotimi Oladele, pointed out that there is already an existing national information policy which has made it mandatory for all top government functionaries including ambassadors to be trained on how to use communication effectively.
“We are even going to the fora where the curriculum for the foreign service training, government has to look into it, you cannot send somebody as an ambassador without having professional approach on how to market the culture of that country, the economy of that country as well as the reputation of that country,” he said.
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