The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has reiterated the need for Public Relations Practitioners in Nigeria to eliminate quackery in their practice by encouraging all members of the professional body, Nigeria Institute of Public Relations, (NIPR) to abide by the ethics of the profession.

The Minister stated this at the 2019 Annual Conference of NIPR held at the International Conference Center, Abuja.

The Minister, who was represented by the Director, Publication and Documentation in the Ministry, Mr. Charles Ojugbana noted that Public Relations is critical in national development, which explains why the Federal Government has mandated all ministries to include Public Relations Department in their operations.

In a welcome address, the National President of NIPR, Mallam Muhktar Sirajo expressed confidence that the theme of the conference, “optimising public Relations Strategies for National cohesion” was chosen to focus on the mood of the nation after the national elections in the country.

Mallam Sirajo observed that the once cherished culture of unity is fading away in Nigeria, giving way to hatred and divisive tendency and called on the political class to desist from over heating the polity and propagate national cohesion.

The guest speaker, and Bishop of Sokoto Catholic Diocese, Most Rev Matthew Kukah, said the problem of Nigeria lies on the people’s inability to manage their diversity.

Most Rev. Kukah stressed that marketing Nigeria by optimizing public Relations strategies for national cohesion should begin with the inclusion of experts in the management of national problems and by eschewing all forms of segregation.

Commenting on the lessons from the NIPR National Conference, the Caretaker Committee Chairman, NIPR, Anambra state chapter, Professor Stella Okunna and a Council Member from Anambra State, Rev. Fr. Professor Boniface Obiefuna said time had come for Practitioners to
employ their skills in crisis management.