By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-chief)
The Abia State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has called for stronger collaboration with the State's Ministry of Justice to promote professionalism, ethical communication, and public trust in governance.
Chairman of the Chapter, Onyinye Ralph-Nwachukwu made the call on Friday during a courtesy visit to the Honourable Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ikechukwu Uwanna, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
Ralph-Nwanchukwu, a Fellow of the Institute noted that both institutions share a common responsibility in strengthening public confidence in government through adherence to ethical standards, transparency, and responsible communication, a release by the PRO of the Chapter, Promise Uzoma Okoro stated.
According to the Chairman, the Office of the Attorney General, as the Chief Law Officer of the state, plays a critical role in upholding the rule of law and guiding government institutions toward compliance, fairness, and accountability.
The statement added, "The NIPR Chairman explained that the Institute, established by law through the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations Act (Cap N114), Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, is mandated to regulate public relations practice in the country, set professional standards, and ensure that only qualified practitioners handle public relations responsibilities.
"She expressed concern that despite the provisions of the law, awareness and compliance remain limited in some institutions where individuals without the required certification perform public relations duties.
"She therefore appealed to the Ministry of Justice to support efforts aimed at promoting awareness and compliance with the NIPR Act across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in the state".
Responding, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice congratulated the newly elected executives of the Institute and commended the role NIPR has continued to play in promoting ethical standards in communication practice.
“The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations has been around for a while and is known for promoting ethical communication. We appreciate the important work the Institute continues to do,” he said. NNL.
