The Chairman Afikpo Local Government Area, Engr Timothy Nwachi has tasked public relations practitioners to brace up for the use of techniques of their profession to promote good governance at state and federal levels.
Speaking at the annual general meeting of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Ebonyi State chapter in Abakaliki, Engr Nwachi underscored the importance of PR practitioners making public officers to give their best to the people.
The LG Chairman who was also the chairman of the event assured of his readiness to partner the NIPR in achieving its objectives, enjoined practitioners to exhibit professionalism and patriotism while plying their trade.
The Chairman was represented by the Vice Chairman of the LG, Mrs Josephine Nwogo.
In her welcome address, the Ebonyi State Chairman of the Institute, Dr Agatha Orji Egwu thanked the members of the NIPR for the support they have given her and her executive in the past two years.
She also expressed her gratitude to the benefactors of the Institute including the Council Member representing the South East, Prince Ford Ozumba who is also the Commissioner for Labour in Imo State.
Dr Orji-Egwu who is the Head of Mass Communication Department, Ebonyi State University listed her achievements in the past two years as Chairman of the Institute to include monthly lecture series, boosting of membership, attendance of national programmes and greater attention to members welfare, among others.
In his remarks, the NIPR Council Member representing the South East, Prince Ford Ozumba who is also the Commissioner for Labour and Productivity in Imo State congratulated Ebonyi State chapter for its giant leap and announced that the national secretariat of the Institute was planning to hold its stakeholders summit in Abakaliki.
Highlights of the AGM included the decoration of the representative of the Chairman of the event with the membership of the Institute by the Council Member and election of new officers to pilot the affairs of the NIPR for another two years.
Those elected include Dr Agatha Orji-Egwu, Chairman and Dr Celestine Ukeoma, Vice Chairman, both of them were returned unopposed.
Also returned unopposed as assistant secretary was Dr Simon Nwankwo.
Mrs Ifeoma Nwakpa was elected secretary, Public Relations Executive – Arinzechukwu Okonkwo, financial secretary – Ifeoma Ejike and Happiness Nworie – treasurer.
A senior lecturer in Ebonyi State University and a former Commissioner for Information in the state, Dr Chike Onwe delivered a lecture on rebranding Ebonyi State: the public relations input