Communiqué of the Meeting of PGF with Managers of Information of APC Governments at Federal and State Levels
- Background
The inaugural meeting of Managers of Information of All Progressives Congress (APC) Governments at Federal and State Levels, facilitated by Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), hosted by Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State held on Thursday, June 24, 2021, at Alausa, Ikeja. The overarching objective of the meeting is to create synergy in communicating initiatives of APC governments at all levels and to setup necessary strategies and frameworks for coordinated communication initiatives.
The meeting reviewed challenges of communicating the initiatives of the APC governments at both the Federal and State levels and consider proposals for effective communication and better public engagement.
II. Opening Session
HE Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, PGF Chairman and Governor of Kebbi State gave the Welcome Address on behalf of Forum and recounted many achievements of the APC governments ranging from milestone infrastructural development to unprecedented social investment programme in Nigeria. HE Mai Mala Buni, APC National Chairman and Governor of Yobe, represented by Barr. Ismail Ahmed, Member, APC National Caretaker Committee, highlighted APC Strategic Interest and Vision, which underlined the Party’s commitment to development in Nigeria.
This was followed by the Keynote address on ‘Contemporary Challenges of Information and Communication Management – Regulatory Issues and Requirements’ delivered by Alh. Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture. The Keynote address identified the key challenges and dynamics of achieving effective media communications and public engagement in Nigeria. Recognising that the Nigerian media space is currently experiencing attempts to promote fake news against APC governments, he recommended the need for development of consultative platforms, as well as institutionalisation of periodic meetings of Managers of information at the Federal and State levels.
The host of the meeting, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State and Co-Chairman of PGF Media & communications Programme Steering Committee highlighted ‘Perspectives of PGF Media and Communication Programme’ during which he affirmed commitment to open and honest dialogue, with regular feedbacks between elected officials and their constituents, to promote democracy and boost trust between elected government officials and the voters.
The meeting was attended by Honourable Minister of Information, Alh. Lai Mohammed, Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Information, Mr. Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to Vice President on Information, Mr. Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to President on Information, Mallam Garba Shehu represented by Mr. Tolu Ogunlesi, Heads of Federal Agencies – Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Mallam Yakubu Muhammad, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Mallam Mansur Liman, Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr. Osita Okechukwu, Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Mallam Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, Commissioners of APC States and members of Steering Committee of PGF Media and Communication Programme.
III. Panel Presentations
There were three panel presentations at the meeting on the following titles:
• Hostile and Deliberate Information Misrepresentation: What Should be Done- by Mr. Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Information.
• Evolving Common Approaches to Managing Government Communication in the context of Progressive Ideology – by Mr. Tolu Ogunlesi on behalf of Mallam Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Information.
• Strategic Communication: Requirements for Coordinated Initiatives – by Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, Former APC National Publicity Secretary and member PGF Media and Communication Programme Steering Committee.
The presentations were discussed by participants under the Chairmanship of Mr. Femi Hamzat, Deputy Governor of Lagos State.
III. Discussions and Deliberations
After exhaustive deliberations, the meeting made the following observations:
Challenges of Communicating APC Initiatives and Performances
- Effective media and citizens engagement with regular feedbacks is critical to communicating the performance of governments of APC at all levels in terms of presenting the factual and truthful narrative to the people.
- It is vital to create sustainable synergy amongst all the managers of information to holistically address the problems of falsehood, misinformation and media abuse in every dimension, by considering media plan and strategy as a strategic component of every government programme and projects.
- All stakeholders should consider the impacts of social media on perception management, particularly as it is currently being used for propagation of falsehood and hatred among Nigerians.
- Media funding is a major challenge because it is very capital intensive, so APC governments need to look for a balance between the huge funds required for it and the funding for other sectors.
Addressing the Challenge
- Increasing engagement with the citizenry is essential to ensure emotional connection between government officials and the people that will change the existing negative perception and distrust within the shortest time.
- Synergy formed between and within the managers of information of APC governments at all levels with shared content and objectives, as well as coordinated engagement with all critical stakeholders can improve the value, quality, output, outcome, and sustainability of media interventions of governments.
- There is the need to adequately plan and develop capacities at all levels for media practitioners and managers of APC governments for content development, right strategy and effective engagement of the different segments of the Nigerian population.
- There is an urgent need to improve on the patronage of government media organisations to serve as a major hub for communicating government initiatives and reduce the space for fake news and misinformation, while also repackaging government programmes to make them more appealing and relatable to the Nigerians.
- Political communication starts from the initiation of policies through to the implementation, APC-led governments are urged to integrate media plans at all segments of the policy circle to promote citizens ownership and connection to such policies and programmes.
IV. Recommendations
Accordingly, the meeting made the following recommendations for consideration/implementation by the APC-Led Federal and State Governments:
a. Increased commitment towards improving media and public engagement with necessary feedbacks through enhancing relationship with the populace and incorporating the necessary media plan and strategy to drive each policy and programme.
b. Sustained efforts to plan and implement media engagement strategies and programmes that will be sustainable and resilient to the impacts of media attacks by the opposition and their collaborators within and outside Nigeria, and the misinformation and media abuse associated with it.
c. Strengthened legislation, strategies and action plans with consequences for media abuse and misinformation.
d. Concerted engagement with critical media stakeholders and practitioners to have strong and well-coordinated presence in the media space by ensuring appropriate synergy between Federal and State Ministries, Agencies and Departments, Local Governments, Development Partners, the Civil Society Partners, and the Private Sector.
e. Strengthened advocacy to amplify justifications of government policies and popularise government achievements across board.
f. Agreed to meet quarterly as to review progress and also build solidarity amongst managers of information at all levels in APC-Led governments under the leadership of Alh. Lai Mohammed, Honourable Minister of Information and Mr. Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari.
V. Appreciation and Conclusion
Participants at the meeting commend the PGF leadership under His Excellency Abubakar Atiku Bagudu for initiating the meeting and express gratitude to Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu for hosting the meeting. The leadership of the APC under His Excellency, Mai Mala Buni, Chairman of the Caretaker Committee was also commended for restoring sanity in the party. Participants commended the Honourable Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Lagos State, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso and his team for the successful organisation of the inaugural meeting of Managers of Information of APC governments at all levels.
Signed by
Salihu Moh. LUKMAN
Director General
